Everton

Mike Richards
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

Given the fact Everton are now on a run of eight games unbeaten, there was a surprising air of disappointment from some supporters that was obvious after Saturday's draw at Wolves.

It is a clear indication of how standards and expectations have risen since the arrival of David Moyes, but context always needs to be applied, especially where Everton are concerned.

This group of players has got plenty of flaws. They are the same group that the previous manager had at his disposal, which should not be forgotten. Traits picked up over the past couple of years can also be difficult to shift.

There is always frustration attached when you are leading and end up picking up just a point. We saw it against Manchester United and again against Wolves.

There could certainly be an argument made that, under the previous regime, a Wolves equaliser would have triggered a complete collapse. Obviously this can't be tested, but the resilience that appeared lost during the final months of Sean Dyche's tenure has certainly been rediscovered.

Everton certainly did not play well on Saturday and it was arguably our worst performance since the return of Moyes. However, picking up points when not at your best is something we can all get behind.

With the international break immediately after this weekend's visit of West Ham, we are all keen to ensure the unbeaten run continues and another three points wraps up what has been achieved during a vastly constructive spell.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

Everton will seek to reduce Mali midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure's wages in a renewed contract after declining to activate the 32-year-old's one-year extension clause. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Outgoing Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell says it has been a "privilege" to work for the club, despite challenges on and off the pitch.

The 51-year-old joined the Toffees from New York Red Bulls in March 2022 and it was confirmed last week that he would be leaving the club in the summer when his contract is due to expire amid a number of structural changes.

In statement addressed to Evertonians released through the Association of Sporting Directors, external, Thelwell said: "I would like to start by saying what a privilege it has been to serve as director of football for the past three years.

"This is an incredible club with so many good people working for it and supporting it. I am proud to have been given the opportunity to work here."

Thelwell oversaw a difficult period for the club that saw them struggle with profit and sustainability rules, receive Premier League points deductions and battle against relegation.

Referencing these issues, he added: "It has not been easy to keep our heads above water and retain our Premier League status. Navigating the last three years, while building a magnificent new stadium, hopefully provides some pride for you and gives everyone associated with our club and the city the opportunity to look forward to a brighter future.

"I feel that I leave with the club in a much better place than when I arrived, both on the pitch and off it.

"We are in a much stronger financial position, and I am excited about where we are on the pitch."

He praised experienced players like Seamus Coleman and Jordan Pickford for helping to steady the ship and highlighted the potential for the future with young players in the side.

With Everton now 16 points clear of the bottom three under returning manager David Moyes, Thelwell looks set to leave with the club entering their new stadium as a top flight side.

"Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank you [Everton fans]. Every Evertonian has played as significant a part as anybody at the club during what has been the toughest and most uncertain of times," he finished.

"The unstinting backing for the players and staff at Goodison, and on the road, has been humbling and amazing to see every week. I am eternally grateful to have seen and felt your support and passion."

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Everton will head to the USA this summer to take on Bournemouth, West Ham United and Manchester United in the second edition of the Premier League summer series.

Six games will be played between 26 July and 3 August, with double-headers taking place in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta.

The first two games will be held at the MetLife Stadium, which will host the final of the 2026 World Cup.

Six Premier League teams took part in the first Summer Series, which was held in the US in July 2023, with more than 265,000 fans attending nine games across five locations.

This year's tournament will see Everton return to North America for the first time since July 2022, when they played pre-season friendlies in Baltimore and Minnesota.

Everton defender James Tarkowski said: "We found out about the trip over the last few days and we are super excited.

"We enjoy meeting fans from far and wide, and this is a great opportunity for people to come to see us play and prepare for the new season."

Summer Series match schedule

Saturday, 26 July (MetLife Stadium, New Jersey)

Everton v Bournemouth (16:00 ET / 21:00 BST)

Manchester United v West Ham (19:00 ET / 00:00 BST)

Wednesday, 30 July (Soldier Field, Chicago)

West Ham v Everton (17:30 CT / 23:30 BST)

Manchester United v Bournemouth (20:30 CT / 02:30 BST)

Sunday, 3 August (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)

Bournemouth v West Ham (14:00 ET / 19:00 BST)

Manchester United v Everton (17:00 ET / 22:00 BST)

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Wolves' Premier League match against Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Steven: Never usually happy with a point (even when it's a big comeback draw) but at the moment every single point is crucial especially when we don't look much of a goalscoring threat.

Thomas: I really do think that Andre was easily the best player on the pitch. I think if we'd kept our heads in certain areas we would have gone on to win the game.

Jon: Decent performance against a team bang in form. Played well enough to win the game but fairly toothless without Cunha. Too good to go down, despite to the Fosun shambles!

Everton fans

Allan: What a terrible display from teams that could of so easily gone down if it was not for the bottom three. Absolutely clueless - both Wolves and Everton.

Ian: Everton looked slow, lethargic and generally not sharp. Beto is back to his fumbling self. We were lucky Wolves were without Cunha.

Anton: No-one wants to play at 8pm on a Saturday - it feels like the dregs of the day for sport, and this match certainly felt like that. We're still unbeaten and Harrison scored from a Lindstrom assist so, quite frankly, Moyes is a miracle maker and is Premier League Manager of the Year! We never looked in real danger of losing, yet never looked like we had the clinical quality to win. Overall, it's another point closer to starting next season in our awesome new stadium as a Premier League team.

Tom Gayle
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

David Moyes can't put a foot wrong right now.

There's no need to get the calculator out, Everton are safe and he's more than delivered on the objective of ensuring the club will be playing Premier League football in their new stadium next season.

If I dare to pick a fault with 'Moyesiah', I would love to see more of Carlos Alcaraz. Having covered Everton's last two games against Brentford and Wolves, for me, the Argentine is the most exciting player at the manager's disposal right now.

Alcaraz, a.k.a Charly, is a proper number 10 - always looking to create or provide a positive action in the final third. What has stood out most is his composure and decision making during the counter attack. He's able to travel with the ball at speed, hold off defenders, and then slide a pass through to Beto, who only has the goalkeeper to beat.

Had Beto's hot streak not dropped down to a lukewarm in recent games Alcaraz's assist numbers would be up to three, to go alongside his match-winning goal against Crystal Palace.

They say 'never fall in love with a loan player', well the midfielder already has Everton fans singing his name to the tune of 'Give it up'.

Moyes and the board have the option to make his switch from Flamengo permanent this summer. I've made my feelings clear on the matter, and for anyone still in need of convincing then just check out the wholesome content of Alcaraz alongside his 'translator' Jack Harrison., external

Image source, Getty Images

Everton winger Jack Harrison says David Moyes has been very "detail orientated" since succeeding Sean Dyche and that has helped the players find "clarity" in their role within the team.

That includes an expectation on Harrison and fellow winger Jesper Lindstrom to contribute to goals and assists where possible.

"It's been clear that we've needed to contribute more and we've been working hard to achieve that," said the on-loan winger to BBC Radio Merseyside. "The manager has come in and he has added a bit more clarity to how we can do it.

"It's been good for us. He is a lot more detail orientated, not only with myself, but with the team.

"We have done a lot more specific training on what he wants from us as a team. Adding the detail and clarity helps everyone get on the same page and I think it is showing in the way we are playing.

"It's a positive environment to be in so we've just got to keep going and finish the season strong."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

Jarrad Branthwaite could become Everton's highest-paid player, as the 22-year-old centre-back is set to demand a contract worth about £150,000-a-week to remain at the club. (Football Insider), external

Everton will need to pay £40m to sign 20-year-old Ecuador centre-back Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge in the summer. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 3-1 Southampton

• Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

David Moyes spoke to TNT Sports after Everton's draw against Wolves:"It's a great point. I think Wolves are playing really well in the Premier League at the moment and maybe haven't quite had the results they deserve. They played well against us today but we did a really good job.

"I didn't like an awful lot but I liked our resilience and our togetherness to keep in it. We didn't have a lot of the ball in the second half but we limited their clear-cut chances and had one or two ourselves"

On Jack Harrison:"I remember him scoring plenty for Leeds and couldn't see why he couldn't do it for us. He is gaining confidence and the goal will help him."

On league placing: "We wanted to make sure that Wolves couldn't get any closer to us. Some of the other results went for us and ideally we now want to catch the teams above us. Overall tonight was a point I am happy to take."

On safety: "I think we are in a really good position when you think where we were when we started. They have seen the game out today. I don't think we a re safe yet because the numbers don't say that. The challenge is to go and win. We don't want to be a team down near the bottom we want to challenge the teams near the top."

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Harrison's first goal of the season helped Everton to stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches with a 1-1 draw against Wolves.

The on-loan Leeds winger gave the Toffees the lead at Molineux when his deflected strike beat Jose Sa

It was Harrison's first goal in 28 appearances this season and it comes in the week that manager David Moyes asked for a greater output from Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who provided the assist.

"You won't have longevity if you're not going to get me assists and goals," said Moyes.

Wolves equalised five minutes before the break through midfielder Marshall Munetsi but the Toffees were resolute in the second half and could have found a winner had it not been for a smart stop from Sa to keep out Beto.

The draw means Everton have won four, drawn four and lost one of Moyes' nine Premier League matches in charge.

Their only defeat in that time came in his first match back at Goodison Park, against Aston Villa.

With 16 points between Everton and 18th-placed Ipswich, the Toffees are all but guaranteed safety.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have drawn four of their last five Premier League games (W1) although they are unbeaten in their last eight (W4 D4), their longest run without defeat since February 2017 (9 under Ronald Koeman).

David Moyes has gone eight consecutive Premier League games without defeat (W4 D4) for the first time since November 2012, while also in charge of Everton.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Wolves' performance

What did you make of Everton's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

I keep on expecting Everton to slip up under David Moyes but it has not happened yet.

I think their fans are quite enjoying seeing me writing them off, and then being proved wrong when they get a positive result.

Since losing his first game back in charge, against Aston Villa, Moyes has won four and drawn three in the Premier League, which is seriously impressive.

Bearing that in mind, I am not going to predict an Everton defeat here, but this game smells of a draw to me, even though Wolves will be without the suspended Matheus Cunha.

Cunha lost the plot at the end of their FA Cup defeat by Bournemouth and is waiting to discover what his punishment will be.

Wolves are five points ahead of Ipswich and Leicester, who are 18th and 19th, so they do have some breathing space above the bottom three.

Five points feels like a massive advantage at the moment, but we will find out over the next few weeks exactly how much Cunha has cost them in their fight against relegation.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (12:30)

• Liverpool v Southampton - full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town

• Brighton v Fulham

• Brentford v Aston Villa (17:30) full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Everton (20:00)

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Image source, Getty Images

Everton's form has been remarkable since David Moyes returned to the Toffees. They lost their first league game of his second reign but have embarked on a seven-match unbeaten run since.

However, while he is pleased with how his side have performed in recent weeks, Moyes has called for more goals and assists from wingers Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison.

"Both players are yet to register on either front this season. Let's be fair - you won't have longevity if you're not going to get me assists and goals," he said.

"You have to find ways of coming up with those numbers. I think both have done well but I need goals from them, I need assists from them. They both need to improve greatly on that."

Lindstrom joined on loan from Napoli in the summer on a deal which includes an option for the Toffees to sign him permanently, but he is yet to score for the club.

Harrison has spent the past two seasons on loan at Everton from Leeds and scored three goals and provided three assists in 2023-24.

Moyes has also called on defender Nathan Patterson, who returned to the matchday squad against Brentford after injury, to "step up", saying: "He's been here [three] years now.

"I'm hoping the next month or two we get a chance to work a bit closer with him."

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we asked how well you remembered Everton's opening Premier League game of the season. The match against Brighton ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Yankuba Minteh, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra scoring for the Seagulls.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Everton FC

A relaxed David Moyes was back facing the media on Friday morning after returning from Everton's warm weather training trip to United Arab Emirates during the week.

The Toffees squad were training in the shadow of the magnificent Sheikh Zayed mosque in Abu Dhabi, while the Muslim contingent in the squad - and around the world - marked the start of Ramadan.

The Premier League has confirmed that, as in previous years, captains of clubs with Muslim players will be able to agree with match officials to find a natural pause in a fixture to allow those players or match officials to break their fast.

I asked Moyes if he may have to manage the minutes of the Muslim players in the squad, such as Idrissa Gueye, and he said: "All the managers are in this situation where we have boys doing Ramadan. We all support it and back it.

"It started while we were in Abu Dhabi and the players started their fasting. A lot of the players have become good at knowing how to manage it and how to deal with it.

"The authorities do a really good job in having water breaks for the players who need it. I am a big supporter of the boys who do it and will back them until the end of Ramadan."

Once the cameras had switched off, there was a nice touch from Moyes asking if I was fasting and how I dealt with Ramadan.

He explained he got to know more about the Islamic holy month from working with Muslim players at West Ham, such as Kurt Zouma and Mohammed Kudus, and said the Everton chef was up at 4am to cook breakfast for the relevant players out in the UAE.

Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Wolves (kick-off 20:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On injuries, Moyes said: "Seamus Coleman, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti are getting themselves closer to playing again. He added that captain Coleman is "much nearer" but wasn't quite sure whether he was ready to be fully involved yet.

• Moyes also spoke about long-term absentees: "The likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin - our forward players that we are needing back - I don't think any of those three are close to a return. Iliman is doing better. He isn't running or anything just yet but he is certainly doing better."

• On Everton's seven-match unbeaten run in the league: "When I look back I'll think it's a big achievement but when you're in it, all you can really think about is the next game and winning it or getting something from the games. Every game at the moment is about taking points which is the most important thing. We need to keep getting ourselves further and further away from the bottom three spots. If you said to me when I came in that we would have a period of seven games where we would go unbeaten, I would shake your hands and say thank you very much."

• On the fact his side are unbeaten on the road under him, Moyes said: "I have to say that we've been away to Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford and the players have done a really good job. We have to try and keep it going, keep improving and making progress."

• Addressing his superb start, the Scot added: "Maybe the secret is that we've had more home games than away games. I have to say that our run of games - we've had quite a few home games and Goodison at the moment - is special. Getting results here has probably become harder now because we know that it is coming to an end."

• On playing at 8pm on a Saturday: "I'm normally a bottle of red wine down by that time on a Saturday! If you're a traditionalist then you probably don't see 8pm on a Saturday night as a good kick-off time but it's the way it's going and I think football clubs are signing up to it due to the money that is coming in from the broadcasters. We have to go with it even if it will ruin some people's Saturday night out."

• On facing Wolves: "I think Wolves have got themselves back on track, they have played well in a few games. They had a really good win at Bournemouth before the FA Cup. They ran Bournemouth close in the cup as well. They have lost a really important player for them but we have lost really important players as well."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Everton played Brighton in their opening Premier League game of this season - what was the final score and who found the net?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT