- Everton’s season of possibility
- Moyes and the team’s performance
- Key moments that could define Everton’s season
Everton have been a very different side since moving to Hill Dickinson. Under David Moyes, the Toffees are aiming to accomplish a mammoth task… winning a European place.
However, arguably, an even bigger success would be finishing above rivals Liverpool in the Premier League.
According to talkSPORT, the blue of Merseyside is on a roll. Expectation now seems high, and there is a possibility of a top-six finish. Everton’s 3-0 thrashing of Chelsea may be the catalyst for the dream of both Europe and moving above the Reds.
It’s been 13 years since Everton finished above Liverpool, and the Toffees are looking to change it.
The Moyes impact
Moyes and Everton appear a match made in heaven. And this season has again proved why the Toffees flourish under the Scottish manager as he has quietly built a side that seems to be one of the most balanced in the Premier League.
Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have been the side’s top scorers with six goals each. Loanee Jack Grealish was a consistent supplier until his season was ended by injury, having six assists to his name.
Moreover, the side has not been star-dependent but relies on togetherness and organisation to get the results.
At the back, Jordon Pickford has been the star man, having 11 clean sheets, just four behind leader David Raya.
Idrissa Gueye recently revealed that Moyes told the side to stay calm ahead of the Chelsea game as the European pressure ramps up. When asked why his side was dominant in that game:
“Because we followed the advice from the staff, and the manager gave us confidence. He said to us before the game, ‘We really need to start playing like home today,’ and I think the last game we did here gave us more confidence.
“We went on the pitch, and we played as a team. We defend like a team, and that is what we need. We try to bring the club where the club deserves to be“, he told the Liverpool Echo.
In March, the Toffees won two of the three games, beating both Burnley and Chelsea at home. The only 2-0 loss came at the Emirates against Arsenal. Currently, Everton sits eighth in the Premier League with 46 points, just three behind Liverpool.
What next?
To Everton’s advantage is Liverpool’s inconsistent performances. And Moyes’ men travel to Brentford next week, Saturday, before welcoming Arne Slot’s men for the Merseyside Derby.
These two fixtures could be the most important of the season for the Toffees. A win in both games would take them above Liverpool, even solidifying the European dream.
The Reds face Manchester City in the FA Cup this weekend, before turning their attention to a Champions League quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain. A league meeting with Fulham follows, ahead of the PSG reverse fixture.
So, Liverpool will travel to Hill Dickinson with tired legs, having played more games. Will this edge help Moyes execute a perfect plan for their first win against them in their new stadium?
