Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2025/11/07/arne-slot-hints-liverpool-star-isak-could-feature-in-man-city-clash/ Liverpool boss Arne Slot revealed Alexander Isak will return to training today and could feature in the mouth-watering clash at Manchester City on Sunday. The Reds travel to the Etihad looking to continue their upturn in form after an impressive display against Real Madrid in the Champions League. But manager Slot knows what to expect from Pep Guardiola’s side, who are also in fine form. Slot said: “City away from home is one of the biggest challenges of the season. “Pep always gives 10/10 what I expect from a game of football, so it will be a very interesting game with so many great individuals.” The Dutchman also praised his team’s recent performances as they look to find more consistency following a run of six defeats in seven. And he believes the level of performance against Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday night can be met again. He added: “We’ve reached that level of performance in other games as well so it wasn’t a surprise. “We can do the same (to City) as we did against Madrid.” Florian Wirtz could feature on the left flank again where he was most creative against Madrid, with Slot hopeful that the 22-year-old can continue to create big chances. In other injury news, goalkeeper Alisson and wingback Jeremie Frimpong remain sidelined, but Slot is hopeful both will be fit after the international break. Liverpool come into Sunday’s game off the back of two consecutive clean sheets following a run of ten matches without one. However their defence will be heavily tested against the prolific City striker Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old Norwegian has contributed to 65% of all Manchester City’s Premier League tally this season. He was on target again in midweek in City’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund. A victory for either team could be crucial heading into the final international break as both teams look to chase league leaders Arsenal.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2025/12/19/chisnall-on-form-to-deny-queen-of-the-palace-fallon-sherrock/ Dave Chisnall made a strong start to his World Championship campaign with a 3-0 win over Fallon Sherrock at Alexandra Palace. The St Helens thrower was clinical when it mattered to book his Second Round spot. Sherrock, known as the ‘Queen of the Palace’ after her breakthrough at the 2020 Championships, struggled on her doubles and was left to rue missed opportunities. She converted just three of her 23 attempts, a 13% success rate that proved costly. Chisnall had fewer attempts but was far more effective, converting nine of his 19 attempts. A standout 160 checkout in the second set suggested Chisnall was back to his best. A nervy final set saw Sherrock threaten a comeback from two legs down, but Chisnall remained composed. A double seven finish was enough to dethrone the Queen. The victory comes at an important time for the 45-year-old, who has endured a difficult year. Chisnall was happy to win but was quick to offer an honest assessment of his performance. “I’m not proud of my performance but proud of the win,” said Chisnall. “It’s been a long time since I won on TV. “Sometimes (on TV) I play really well but got beat by the better player and today I was a bit sluggish, she missed doubles and I won.” The former world number 3 has slipped down to 21 st in the rankings over the past 12 months but admits he doesn’t care about the numbers. “No, I don’t look at rankings,” he said. “I’m having a bad run this year so that’s why I’ve dropped down and the money’s come off. If I had a good run, I’d still be right up there. “That’s how darts goes sometimes.” For Sherrock, that marks her fifth consecutive first round knockout at the Palace. Chisnall does not have to wait long to play on stage again as he takes on Ricardo Pietreczko on Saturday afternoon. He will be looking to go beyond last year’s efforts after he fell at the second hurdle in one of the games of the tournament against Ricky Evans.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/02/super-sub-beto-saves-evertons-blushes-in-1-1-draw-at-brighton/ A 97 th minute equaliser from birthday boy Beto earned Everton a point in a 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. The Toffees arrived at the south coast with a much-changed side, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Michael Keane and Jarrad Branthwaite all returned to the starting XI. Before the match, manager David Moyes revealed Vitalii Mykolenko had picked up a knock in training, forcing Everton to field a back four made up entirely of centre-halves, with Nathan Patterson dropping out at right-back. The Blues were looking for a third consecutive away win, but produced a disappointing first-half display, spending much of the opening period on the back foot. Everton recorded a 0.00 xG as Brighton created the better chances, with striker Danny Welbeck coming closest to breaking the deadlock four minutes in when his header was saved by Jordan Pickford. The Toffees improved after the break and showed promise when Dewsbury-Hall, making his first start since mid-December, fired narrowly wide. A better opportunity came the midfielder’s way in the 68 th minute, as a loose ball was picked up by Thierno Barry who played him in, but the close-range effort was straight at Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen. The missed chance proved costly, as Brighton broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute as Yasin Ayari found an unmarked Pascal Groß in the box, and the German fired the ball past Pickford on his return to the club. The Seagulls thought they had doubled their lead in the 83 rd minute through Kaoru Mitoma, but referee Chris Kavanagh flagged for offside in the build-up. Moyes used all of his allocated subs in pursuit of an equaliser, and in the dying seconds of stoppage time his side were rewarded. Garner’s cross was met by Jake O’Brien, whose fizzed strike was spilled by Verbruggen, only for Beto to react quickest and tuck the ball home for his third goal of the campaign. Speaking after the match, Moyes admired Everton’s number 9 for his perseverance during a difficult spell. “I say it all the time…He’s a great boy and I’m really pleased the way the support treated him,” the Scot said. “He’s had it pretty tough and he’s not been scoring…but it was at this time last season where he started to score all the goals for us, maybe (the goal) gives him the confidence he needs”. The Everton boss was also full of praise for Jarrad Branthwaite who filled in at left-back in his first competitive start since May last year. “I thought Jarrad done great. I knew he could fill in at left-back if we needed it. “He’s not been fit at any point this season, so it will do him the world of good”. The result sees Everton climb up to 8 th on 34 points after their third draw in four games. Meanwhile, the Seagulls will be disappointed to concede in additional time for the second game running, as they drop to 13 th after only one win in their last 11 Premier League games.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/04/brian-sorensen-sacked-as-everton-womens-manager/ Everton Women have parted ways with head coach Brian Sorensen this morning only days after their first home win of the season. The club lie ninth in the Women’s Super League standings after a poor run of form, particularly at home. The Women have struggled so far in starting life at their new home of Goodison Park, with their victory against Aston Villa on Sunday bringing them their first points after seven matches. Everton’s chief executive, Angus Kinnear, said: “Sunday’s first win of the season at Goodison Park was important, but it has become evident that a change of direction is necessary to ensure the progression on the pitch we are all striving for”. “We would like to thank Brian, Stephen and Ashley for their hard work and efforts in their time at the club”. The Dane took charge in 2022 and had only recently signed a new contract extension keeping him at the club till 2027. Everton Under-18s coach Scott Phelan will take interim charge for the remainder of the season.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/04/magic-weekend-at-hill-dickinson-set-to-be-the-biggest-one-yet/ The 2026 Magic Weekend at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is predicted to be the biggest one yet, with ticket sales breaking Rugby League records ahead of the big weekend. Rugby League’s big summer festival takes place on the banks of the river Mersey on July 4-5th after Everton beat out Newcastle’s St James’ Park to host the event for the first time. After tickets went on sale last month, more than 47,000 have sold with the weekend on track to be the best attended in history. RL Commercial’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Joe Steel, said: “There’s a clear excitement about taking one of the biggest dates in the rugby league calendar to Hill Dickinson. “We’re hoping it will be the biggest and best Magic WKND yet with all the ingredients there to make for an absorbing and enthralling two days of action”. The Hill Dickinson has had a bright start to life, with a sell-out Ashes test last November, as well as being a confirmed venue for the 2028 Men’s European Championships. The stadium, which began construction in 2021, was completed last year and became the new home for Everton after they left Goodison Park. The weekend will feature six games across two days, with a switch to a schedule themed around club rivalries seeing the headline event being the fixture between Wigan Warriors and St Helens on Sunday. Speaking at a press day ahead of the new Rugby League season, Warriors head coach Matt Peet, said he’s looking forward to the weekend and believes the event will only boost attention in the area. “It’s always been an ambition to break into Manchester and Liverpool, an event like this, hopefully the fans put on a positive show as well as the players”. “Hopefully the players can convert some new rugby league fans”. “I think over the weekend you’ll see a sell-out crowd, it’s a new venue and not too far to travel. Wigan (vs) Saints always gets a good crowd, so looking forward to it taking place”. Club captain Liam Farrell, said: “You might get people coming down who necessarily wouldn’t be massive Rugby fans but just want to come see what we’re about”. “If we get more eyes on the game it’s always good, hopefully it grows the game a bit. “Liverpool is a massive football city but if we can get a few people talking about it, watching or even playing then it’ll be great for the game”. Fans have until March 26th to purchase any remaining tickets on a discount on the Super League website.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/04/what-does-the-future-hold-for-dwight-mcneil-at-everton/ After the deadline day fiasco regarding Dwight McNeil’s failed £20 million transfer to Crystal Palace, we analyse what future the 26-year-old has at Everton. McNeil was on his way to London after Everton had agreed with Palace on a deal to bring the forward down south on a four-year deal, when relevant paperwork failed to meet the 7pm deadline. He had already completed his medical when representatives from Palace’s side went “radio silent”, according to McNeil’s girlfriend, Megan Sharpley. Palace apparently pulled the plug on the deal after their striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta, had his deal to AC Milan called off. It leaves McNeil still at Everton, the club he’s been at since 2022, where he has 34 goal contributions in 120 games. Everton midfielder, Idrissa Gana Gueye, spoke out on the deadline day events as well as supporting his teammate. Gueye said: “I’m very happy to have him back.” The Senegalese international added: “He has a lot of quality and he was (a) really important player for us the last few years when we were battling against relegation. “Still now, he is an important player for us, what happened to him, hopefully he will just put it to the side and show his quality”. Everton came forward yesterday with a tweet in support of the player, showing everyone’s support for him at the club. McNeil was a key figure in Everton’s relegation survivals in the 22/23 and 23/24 Premier League campaigns, but has lost his place in the Toffee’s starting XI as of late. Key individuals such as Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish have hit the ground running at the Blues and has left McNeil resigned to warm the Everton bench for most of this season. The 26-year-old has 14 appearances, seven off the bench, and only one assist so far. So, does Dwight McNeil have a future at Everton Football Club? Unlikely. The midfielder has been wanting a move since last summer, and has a contract that keeps him at the Hill Dickinson Stadium till 2027, but a move in the next window looks likely. McNeil was linked with a reunion with previous Everton manager Sean Dyche at Nottingham Forest, who had worked with the forward at both Burnley and the Blues. Everton also managed to sign Tyrique George on loan from Chelsea on deadline day, as David Moyes looks to strengthen his winger options with Jack Grealish out for the season. Everton take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday 7th February, where McNeil provided an assist in a 3-1 victory for the Toffees last season.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/10/david-moyes-wants-home-form-improvement-ahead-of-bournemouth-clash/ Everton manager David Moyes says his side must make visiting teams “far less comfortable” at the Hill Dickinson Stadium ahead of the Blues’ Tuesday night fixture against Bournemouth. Everton lie eighth in the Premier League after a 2-1 comeback victory away at Fulham on Saturday, their third away win in four games. But the results away from home have not translated over to the Hill Dickinson, where Moyes’ men have only won four of their 12 home games. The Toffees must improve their home record if they are to continue challenging for a European spot, with Brentford currently occupying the provisional UEFA Conference League position in seventh. When asked about the potential for European football next season, Moyes refused to get carried away, but was happy the conversation was about that rather than relegation. “I’m pleased we’re talking about European football rather than the other end of the table,” he said. “We’ve still got a long way to go, but if we can hang in the battle, you never know.” Everton haven’t finished higher than 13 th in the Premier League since a 10 th -place finish in the COVID-19-affected 2020/21 season, including two relegation survivals in 2022 and 2023. Moyes knows of the opportunity at stake, but warns Everton need to do better to achieve this. “For us to do it, we are probably going to have to win some games we are not expected to”. The Scot knows what it is like to bring European football to Everton, having done so on four occasions, most notably in 2004/05 when he guided the Blues to their highest ever league position of fourth. Moyes is equally conscious of the threat Bournemouth will bring this evening, who come into the game in good form, despite losing star forward Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City in the January transfer window. Andoni Iraola’s side have three wins in their last five, with only Manchester United and Chelsea picking up more points than the Cherries in that period. Rayan Vitor cancelled out Morgan Roger’s goal as Bournemouth drew 1-1 with Aston Villa in their previous outing. The reverse fixture back in December saw Jack Grealish’s deflected strike give Everton their first ever league win at the Vitality Stadium on their ninth attempt. The Manchester City loanee addressed in a social media post this week that he had undergone successful surgery for the foot injury that has ruled the midfielder out for the season. Moyes confirmed that Grealish was Everton’s only injury concern and is pleased about the selection choice he currently has. “It was a far harder task when we had so few players to pick from”. It remains to be seen if Jarrad Branthwaite can find his way back into Everton’s starting XI, after he was dropped from left-back for Vitalii Mykolenko on Saturday. Bournemouth, meanwhile, travel to Merseyside without midfield duo Justin Kluivert and Tyler Adams, who are side-lined with knee injuries, with the former ruled out for the next two months. The Cherries are also missing Ben Gannon-Doak and Marcus Tavernier with thigh problems. A win for Everton tonight will see them go sixth, above their Merseyside rivals Liverpool, who can respond away at Sunderland tomorrow. More importantly, a win will see Everton reach the threshold of 40 points, something they have only reached in two of their last four seasons, and with 12 games to spare. The Cherries will move to 9 th with a victory, and could leapfrog Everton with a win by two goals or more, as they look to get their second away win on the bounce.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/11/bournemouth-punish-barrys-blunders-as-10-man-everton-falter-2-1-at-home/ Everton’s wait for a home Premier League victory took another dire turn after Bournemouth came from behind to win 2-1 on Tuesday night.  A chaotic ten-minute spell saw the hosts go from 1-0 in front and pushing for a second, to trailing 2-1 and down to ten men.  Everton striker Thierno Barry will rue missing two golden chances that could have put the game beyond doubt.  David Moyes’ side were on the front foot for most of the game and will be disappointed to not beat a lacklustre Bournemouth.  Everton made two changes from the team that beat Fulham on the weekend, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Tyrique George starting over Michael Keane and Harrison Armstrong. George makes his first start since signing for Everton on deadline day.  The Toffees started promisingly, with Iliman Ndiaye netting within 10 minutes, but from an offside position so the score remained a stalemate.   Barry, who has five goals so far this season, should have scored when James Garner’s free kick was bundled by Djordje Petrovic into the path of the French striker, but he lashed the rebound wide.  The Serbian keeper made up for his error just a minute later, as he saved Ndiaye’s close range effort onto the post.   Everton made the breakthrough just before half-time, as Jarrad Branthwaite was fouled in the box by new signing Rayan. Ndiaye scored his first goal from the penalty spot since his return from the African Cup of Nations.  Another chance went begging early in the second half for Barry, as Ndiaye set the ball on a plate for the striker to score from 6 yards out, but his effort was blocked by Alex Jimenez.  Bournemouth made them pay sharply after, with a cross from Adrien Truffert being met by Rayan, who scored for the second game running.  The Cherries took the lead three minutes later as Jordan Pickford was caught in no man’s land as defender James Hill headed the ball across goal for Amine Adli to head his third goal of the season into an empty net.  The cherry on top of a dismal 10-minute spell for the Toffees was compounded in the 69th minute when Jake O’Brien brought down Adli from a last man position, with referee Andy Madley having no choice but to send the Irish international off.  The last 20 minutes showed some promising signs for the 10 men of Everton, with Beto and Armstrong brought on to try and change the game.  No standout chances arose for the home team, who fought valiantly for an equaliser which never came.   The defeat leaves Everton and Bournemouth level on 37 points in eighth and ninth respectively, and with other teams still yet to play in Game week 26 the Toffees could fall to 10th.   Critically, that makes it just four home wins out of 13 for Moyes’ side, and five home games in a row without a win, going back to December 6th for their last victory against Nottingham Forest.  After the game, Moyes looked dejected and refused to comment on the refereeing decisions that saw his side reduced to 10 men.  He said: “Referees are making their decisions, so we have to go with what they say.  “No opinion, no opinion on referees anymore”.  Moyes says his side only have themselves to blame for not taking their chances.  “We had started the second half and probably missed a couple of half-chances, good chances, to get the second goal, so we only have ourselves to blame, no-one else.”  Everton have a week off to recuperate with no F.A Cup action, before welcoming high-flying Manchester United to the Hill Dickinson on 23rd of February.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/14/obiero-the-hero-as-tranmere-end-losing-run-in-2-0-win-against-crawley/ Tranmere Rovers ended their six-game losing streak in League Two with a convincing 2-0 victory at home to Crawley Town.  A brilliant goal from new loan signing Zech Obiero in the 12th minute followed by a Joe Ironside penalty just before half time gave the Rovers a much-needed three points at Prenton Park.  Crawley should have had a goal of their own as Ronan Darcy missed a 1-on-1 against Marko Marosi, who joined on an emergency one-week loan from Port Vale last week.  Andy Crosby’s side remained unchanged from their 2-1 away loss to Gillingham last week which manager Crosby believed there were plenty of positives to take.  And those positives translated onto the pitch, as the home side started brightly and had the ball in the net after just six minutes through captain Sam Finley.  Obiero’s shot was parried by Jacob Chapman only to Finley who put the ball away, but the referee Andrew Humphries flagged for an offside in the build-up.  The home side continued their strong momentum as a loose pass from Crawley’s Klaidi Lolos found Obiero, who dribbled into the box past Harry Forster and fired a thunderous shot past Chapman’s near post and into the roof of the net to give Rovers the lead.  It was the Kenyan’s first goal for the club who joined on-loan from Leyton Orient only 12 days ago.  Tranmere kept threatening Chapman’s goal in front of the Kop and came so close to doubling their advantage as a cross from Patrick Brough was met by James Plant, who hit the crossbar from 6 yards out.  Plant’s missed chance was nearly punished just four minutes later, as Darcy found himself one-on-one with Marosi, but the Slovakian keeper made himself big to keep the home side ahead.  Tranmere got the second and decisive goal just before half-time, as top scorer Charlie Whitaker was fouled in the box by Geraldo Bajrami, with the referee pointing to the spot.  Joe Ironside coolly sent Chapman the wrong way to give the home side a 2-0 lead heading into the break.   The second half was a different story, as Tranmere sat back and let Crawley dominate possession.  The Red Devils came close with substitute Justin Ferizaj firing just over, but Rovers held their line well and saw the game home with an impressive defensive spell.  The away side’s best chance came in the final minute of stoppage time, as Dion Pereira hit a shot destined for the top corner but for Marosi who pushed it onto the crossbar.  The win is Tranmere’s first since New Year’s Day as they stay in 17th in the league. The result will only boost the side’s morale as they face Accrington Stanley at Prenton Park on Tuesday to see if they can get back-to-back wins for the first time this season.   For Crawley, it is their third defeat in a row as they fall to 22nd, just four points above the relegation zone.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/15/crosby-saw-a-100-committed-group-of-players-in-tranmeres-2-0-win-over-crawley/ Andy Crosby was delighted with the commitment and intensity shown by his Tranmere Rovers side after their six-game losing streak was ended with a 2-0 win at home to Crawley Town . Two first half goals from Zech Obiero and Joe Ironside’s penalty proved the difference at Prenton Park, as Crawley failed to take several key chances. The Rovers boss said it had been a while since a win, going back to New Year’s Day, but encouraged his players to enjoy the feeling of the victory amidst a difficult period for the club. Crosby told the club’s website: “We found a way to win today. It was a really pleasing and well-timed victory. “When you’ve had a year like January, that’s how long it seemed to be, you get questioned and doubted, but we stuck together and responded”. Crosby praises new signings Obiero and Marosi Crosby was quick to single out Obiero, who scored the opening goal on his home debut after signing on loan from Leyton Orient for the remainder of the season. Obiero capitalised on an error from Crawley defender Klaidi Lolos, dribbled into the box and fired a shot to the roof of the net past keeper Jacob Chapman. Crosby said: “Zech has impressed everyone. The supporters will have seen a player of real good energy and quality, and he’s a really good young man too.” He also praised the contributions of other loan players, including Stephan Negru and goalkeeper Marko Marosi, who joined on an emergency loan from Port Vale last week. Marosi made two vital saves in both halves, the first being a one-on-one save against Crawley’s Ronan Darcy when the game was only 1-0. With number one keeper Joe Murphy currently ruled out, Crosby was impressed that Marosi was able to do so well on such short notice, especially with injury problems an evergreen issue for the Rovers. “We’ve been in such a difficult position since September with constantly losing players, so we can’t afford to take any risks (with injury knocks).” The game shifted in the second half as Crawley maintained a lot of possession with Rovers’ looking to see out the game and Crosby was very pleased with the way his side defended. “We maintained the intensity high up the pitch and defended our box really well and defended the wide areas too to stop crosses coming in. “Crawley had a lot of the ball in the second half, but we stayed strong”. Shifting the narrative at home This is only Tranmere’s fourth home victory of the campaign and their first since Boxing Day, with Crosby saying this result can help change the narrative and help put things right for the home supporters. “No one’s happy with our home form,” he said. “To win 2-0 against a difficult opponent, it has started to shift the narrative. The more consistent we are, the better chance we’ve got of collecting more points”. Attention now turns to Tuesday night, where Rovers host 13 th place Accrington Stanley as they chase back-to-back league wins for the first time this season. “We’ll enjoy this feeling. But I’m already thinking about Tuesday,” Crosby said. “It’s about recovery now and then responding again in front of our supporters against Accrington.”

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/17/dobey-denies-bunting-first-pdc-title-of-2026-in-players-championship-final/ World Number Six Stephen Bunting lost to Chris Dobey eight sets to one in the Player’s Championship 3 final this week. The Bullet, from Merseyside, had played a fine day of darts, with three ton-plus averages en-route to the final, battling past the likes of Danny Noppert, Jonny Clayton and Player’s Championship 1 winner, James Wade. It is the closest the St Helens’ player has got to winning so far this year. He did not get further than the quarter-finals of both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Masters, and failing to win a single match in the two Premier League events so far. Bunting will be hoping to carry this good form into Thursday’s Premier League action in Glasgow, where he has not won a match since returning to the format last year. Meanwhile, fellow St Helens player and World Number 22 Dave Chisnall has had mixed success. Chizzy made it to the last 16 before losing to Daryl Guerny six sets to four. It has also been a dire start to the year for 2023 World Champion Michael Smith, who despite recording a 151 checkout, lost to Alexander Merkx in the opening round. The World Number 32 has had a difficult period as of late, having missed out on a spot at the Poland Darts Open last week.

Available on MerseySportLive: https://merseysportlive.co.uk/2026/02/25/are-everton-overachieving-or-underachieving-under-david-moyes/ Everton fans are uncertain whether David Moyes is the right man to take the Toffees forward. After a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night, it leaves Everton 9th in the Premier League after a seventh game at home without a win. The table may suggest progress, but fans are starting to get uneasy with Moyes’ tactics and inability to win at home. The Toffees have won less than a third of their games at home this season (4/14), their last a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the 6th of December. The Hill Dickinson Stadium has propelled itself as one of Liverpool’s must-see venues for more than just football, with rugby league events already taking place and more to come in the summer through the Super League’s Magic Weekend . But positive results for Everton are proving tough to come by, with only 16 points picked up at home compared to 21 on the road, a disparity that has not gone unnoticed by fans. “The team has overachieved away from home but underachieved at home”, said one supporter. Moyes, who re-joined the club last January after his initial 11 year stint from 2002 to 2013, has undeniably steadied a ship that left fans in angst of their top flight status. Everton flirted with relegation for three seasons running, with some narrow escapes against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, but Moyes has alleviated the threat of going down and instead has made fans look ahead in the table rather than behind. “Compared with the past three seasons, there has been some improvement”, said another fan. The Toffees’ quest for Europe The Premier League could give European places all the way down to 8th place this season, and some fans believe there is an opportunity for the Toffees to achieve European football for the first time since 2017. “Aside from poor home form, our record in early kick-offs reads four wins, two draws, and no defeats,” one fan said, suggesting the margins are fine. “There’s a golden opportunity there.” Others feel the stakes are higher. “We’ve got four world-class players — Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Garner and Branthwaite who will all leave if we don’t push on.” Jamie Carragher, talking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football after the game, believes that Everton aren’t the ninth best team in the league, believing that they are overachieving themselves. Some fans disagree with the pundits’ view, claiming on TikTok that: “If we are ninth in the league, then we are the ninth-best team. That is simply how a league table works!.” Others have already made up their minds and are urging patience for fellow Toffee supporters. “David Moyes should be judged next season, following another summer transfer window.” Everton lie three points off seventh place Brentford in the hunt for Europe, and with 11 games to go, the Toffees’ European charge is not over yet.