Everton

Mike Richards
Fan writer

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Saturday's defeat by Manchester City highlighted how important the coming summer will be for Everton.

In control for large periods of the match, it took an injury to the ever-present James Tarkowski to seriously derail Everton's chances of picking up another three points.

Michael Keane's cameo was chaotic at best and emphasised to David Moyes that the rebuild required in making the squad competitive will not be easy.

Keane is one of 13 first-team players either out of contract or at the end of their loan agreement come July. Three of those players (Idrissa Gana Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Armando Broja) started on Saturday.

The hope is that Gana signs a new deal and assuming Doucoure is happy to take a wage cut, he will be a welcome squad player next season. The jury is certainly out on many others.

If Saturday was an audition for both Keane and Broja, they certainly would not be making the cut, with the latter in particular doing little to inspire the manager to make his loan deal permanent.

Keane's longstanding Everton career has never really got going. Reliant on those around him, his own confidence and decision-making has been regularly questioned. His introduction on Saturday epitomised the struggles he has had at the club.

Moyes will be eager to recruit players that are fit for our impressive new home, improving the quality and overall depth rather than simply padding it out.

As the move fast approaches, despite the improved financial position at the club the free and loan transfer markets will be vital.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Man City.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

Alex: Part of me doesn't mind that we lost that match. Credit where credit is due, we were the better team for most of it, and showed great signs of where we could be next season. Let's remember the money Man City has and the value of their players. We held our own for most of the match. Sad to see the brilliant James Tarkowski injured though. Really good performance.

David: A disappointing result after such an improvement in recent weeks. However, this will give David Moyes a clearer picture of the major deficiencies we have in the squad when a key player such as Tarkowski goes off injured and we fall away in the final 20 minutes.

Gavin: Perfect chance to try out Jarrod Branthwaite and Jake O'Brien in central defencenothing to lose really, but Michael Keane got the nod when Tarkowski got injured and was once again a big disappointment.

Man City

Colin: Other than two set-pieces it is probably the most controlled we have been at the back. However, going forward needs to be much quicker as highlighted after Jeremy Doku came on. He injected pace and directness which created opportunities.

Gene: Nico O'Reilly may be an attacking midfielder, but he defends quite well. He's big, quick and doesn't get pushed around. It's going to be sad to see Kevin de Bruyne leave though as there's no one on this team with his vision and knack for finding the open man. They're still stagnant moving forward and there's not enough aggression. Overall the play is better, which hopefully continues towards the Champions League.

Andrew: Trust the academy. James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly are nailed on as part of the senior squad. Plenty more behind plus get a couple back; James Trafford has to be top of the list in summer as Ederson and Stefan Ortega will not improve from here. Then your 'rebuild' is more than half done. Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri still settling. All is good!

Everton will allow 32-year-old centre-back Michael Keane to leave the club when his contract runs out at the end of June. (Football Insider), external

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

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Everton boss David Moyes talking to Sky Sports: "I thought for 60 minutes we did a lot of good things. I thought we played well in the first half but the injury to James Tarkowski was a big blow to us. It affected the side. It tells you a lot that we're disappointed that we've lost to Manchester City. Ultimately we didn't do well enough in the last 15-20 minutes and that cost us.

"I don't think the players we brought on today made a big impact on the game like I hoped it would have. It is always going to be difficult against Manchester City. We did a lot of good things. We're just lacking that little bit to be really competitive. We just couldn't find a way today.

"It is probably quality. Their subs came on and helped them. I'm not sure we had the same. We needed to find a way to get a goal but I genuinely think the injury to James Tarkowski was a big blow to us. It looks like a hamstring injury but what it is we don't know at the moment.

"We've done an awful lot of good things and we're getting better. It says a lot that we're disappointed to lose 2-0 against Manchester City. I'm sort of smiling that people think we should be disappointed. I am, but we've got to remember how good a side they are."

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No side has failed to score in more Premier League games than Everton this season (14 – level with Leicester).

Were you at the game or following elsewhere?

Have your say on Everton's performance

What did you make of Man City's display?

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

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

• Brentford v Brighton

• Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

• Everton v Manchester City

• West Ham v Southampton

• Aston Villa v Newcastle (17:30 BST)

All kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I am at this game for BBC Radio 5 Live and am looking forward to it. It is so hard to call, because of where both teams are at.

Everton will work hard, of course, but they are also very capable of winning this if they are as "in your face" as they can be, and upset City's rhythm.

If Pep Guardiola's side play like they did against Nottingham Forest a few weeks ago, and don't really get going, then they are going to get turned over.

On the other hand, City really caught fire after almost going 3-0 down against Palace last week. If they play like that, they will win - but you are never quite sure what you are going to get from them in each half at the moment, let alone game to game.

So, it is hard to know how the game will pan out. Everton will not be overly expansive or bothered about possession and will pick their moments when they throw Abdoulaye Doucoure forward.

They will be direct and Beto will run in behind, and I definitely see them scoring, but I am still going with City to edge this, somehow. They have to, really, because they are under pressure to make the top five.

I held the record for the fastest goal scored at Goodison in its 133-year history until Doucoure scored after 10.18 seconds against Leicester in February, beating my effort for Blackburn after 12.94 seconds in 1995.

That's still the fastest goal scored there by an away player, though, so hopefully no-one manages a quicker one before the end of the season - especially when I am there to talk about it as co-commentator.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport multi-platform journalist

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As Everton prepare for the first of their final three games at Goodison Park, we have delved into some of the stats behind the Toffees rollercoaster season so far.

True to style, Everton have been the team most reliant on set-piece goals this season with 15 of their 34 goals coming from dead ball situations.

Since David Moyes returned for a second spell in charge in January, Everton's attacking metrics have overall increased while they have shored up defensively.

In fact - as the table above shows - since mid-September Everton boast the best defence in the Premier League based on goals conceded.

Despite their increase in attacking output, however, the goalkeeper they will likely face in Saturday's visit of Manchester City, Ederson, has recorded more assists this season than any members of Everton's squad.

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The Blue Room podcast's David Downie shared his thoughts on Everton's final game at Goodison Park being scheduled for 12:00 BST. Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside, he echoed an angry reaction to the kick-off time from fans, stating: "It's an absolute joke. I certainly don't hope the club aren't involved in this. 12pm on Sunday - not for me.

"I think most of us would have liked it under lights, which would be a Monday night - maybe Friday night or even a Saturday night with the way they do it these days.

"I can't stand early kick-offs on any day across the weekend. It doesn't have that feeling for me.

"If it was a night game, people would be there overnight, getting all the various things they want to get.

"I just hope Goodison gets the send off it deserves - and 12pm on a Sunday certainly goes against that."

Image source, PA Media

Such has been the turnaround at Everton since David Moyes took charge of the Toffees in January, he is looking up the Premier League table rather than nervously towards the relegation zone with six matches left to play.

Everton - currently 13th in the table - need two more points to be mathematically certain of avoiding the drop, while there is a five-point gap to Brentford in 11th and Crystal Palace in 12th.

Speaking before Saturday's game against Manchester City, Moyes said: "If you'd said to me that we were avoiding relegation when I came in I'd have said: 'Thanks very much, that's the job I'm here to do at the moment'.

"But it feels like I want to try to look up, I want to make the club feel better, I want us all to start to feel better.

"It's been magnificent with the supporters at the moment, they're joining in, they're helping us. And I think the team's giving them something to shout about as well."

Everton are set to rival Inter Milan for the signing of Genoa's 27-year-old Iceland midfielder Albert Gudmundsson, who is on loan at Fiorentina. (Teamtalk), external

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

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Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media about the futures of the Toffees players whose contracts run out in the summer, including Abdoulaye Doucoure.

He also discussed the form of midfielder Harrison Armstrong, who is on loan at Derby, and whether he could be part of his first-team plans next season.

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Everton's final Premier League match at Goodison Park against Southampton has been confirmed for Sunday, 18 May with a 12:00 BST kick-off.

The game has been chosen for live television coverage on TNT Sports.

It will be the final time that the men's first team plays a competitive match at the stadium, which opened in 1892.

Everton will move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock at the start of the 2025-26 season.

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Mike Richards of the Unholy Trinity Everton Podcast believes the club might have to be ruthless with some of the players approaching the end of their contracts - but thinks some have to stay to prevent too much of a change.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, he said: "I think it's going to be a transition this summer. The big issue is the number of players out of contract or loans ended - you can't let them all go.

"That's where we are, we can't bring in 13-14 players - it can't and won't happen, that'd be too much change.

"Some of those players out of contract, whether it be (Abdoulaye) Doucoure, Idrissa Gana Gueye, (Dominic) Calvert-Lewin - some of these will be offered new deals.

"But I think Doucoure is Everton of the old and we need to look at Everton going forward in the future and that's getting a different number 10 - more technical, you look at Alcaraz - that for me is the kind of number 10 Everton need.

"We need to move forward and become a better footballing side."

Listen to more on BBC Sounds

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Manchester City: "They have been and still are an incredible football team - it's always a difficult game against them, and we've not got a great record."

• On players' contracts: "We've got a few coming out of contract but we want to keep everybody right, we won't leave it until the last minute, but we'll do it when we're ready and won't be dictated by the players."

• After Abdoulaye Doucoure seemed to gesture about a new contract in his celebration against Forest, Moyes said it is on the players "to influence it and make it easy for the decision to go in their favour".

• On Dwight McNeil: "He's getting more ready, he's had a couple of weeks' training and short periods in games - he's getting up to the intensity, but he was out for a long time. We need him and he's really important, but I don't know if he's quite ready yet."

• With 11 Premier League teams possibly qualifying for Europe, Moyes was asked if they stand a chance of being one. "We'd probably have to win as many games as possible and go unbeaten."

• He added: "If [when I joined] you said we were avoiding relegation, I'd say thanks very much - that's the job I'm here to do. But I want to look up and make the club feel better."

• Youngster Harrison Armstrong has been impressing on loan at Derby - Moyes said he will be involved in pre-season and they will assess what the next step is: "A young player getting games in the Championship is not as easy as you think - it's a credit to him. We like him, we're not selling him or anything - we want him around and we'll assess if he needs another loan."

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

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We asked for your views on what no one was talking about at Everton, but should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Duncan: Jake O'Brien doesn't get talked about enough. Not only does it feel like a cheat code having a 6ft 6ins right-back when it comes to aerial dominance, he's been excellent both in defence and a bit higher, and scored two vital late goals. Moyes' flexibility of formation has made him integral.

Joe: Jake O'Brien. What a job he's doing, so underrated and overlooked by Dyche when he was in charge. He has huge potential!

Robert: Everton are woefully short of creative players and have been since James Rodriguez left. We keep buying wingers but we need a creative player through the middle of the park. There's no point buying exciting strikers if there's no one capable of creating chances for them. This is maybe why Calvert-Lewin is leaving.

Pete: I don't think people really realise the situation the club are in behind the scenes. I really hope there are enough numbers, commitment and expertise especially as we have an outgoing director of football. The people responsible for transfers are probably more vital to the club than any other time. Of the first-team squad, we may potentially need to replace 13 players who have all been regulars this season. All the following could potentially be on the way out:

Out of contract: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Michael Keane, Seamus Coleman, Ashley Young, Joao Virginia, Asmir Begovic.

Loans expiring: Orel Mangala, Jack Harrison, Armando Broja, Charly Alcaraz, Jesper Lindstrom.

One year left on contract: James Tarkowski, Vitalii Mykolenko, James Garner.

Thomas: A lot of them just aren't good or consistent enough to stay at this football club, even as squad players. Harrison, Lindstrom, Broja all come to mind. I love Doucoure but he's another one whose time is up. Important that we get recruitment right in the summer, going both ways.

Anton: Everton for Europe - this season! This is somewhat tongue-in-cheek but, in all seriousness, since Moyes' return, we are "sixth" in the Premier League and are now actively looking forward to each match (such an alien feeling!). A huge summer of important recruitment lies ahead of us but if we can come through that with a stronger squad depth and if we are able to harness our new stadium, then we could very well be the Nottingham Forest of next season. And yes, for once, let's get ahead of ourselves and feel positive and optimistic - it's not a crime for us Evertonians to feel like this even though after several years of horribleness we've been conditioned to fear the worst.

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Everton are winless in their past 15 Premier League games against Manchester City (D3 L12) since a 4-0 victory in January 2017 under Ronald Koeman.

Kevin de Bruyne has had a hand in six goals in his past six Premier League starts (one goal, five assists).

Everton have drawn their past four home league matches, their longest such run since February 2015. They have never drawn five home league games in a row.

Everton are going well on the pitch - they have taken 21 points in 13 games since David Moyes took charge. Since his first game back on 15 January, only Liverpool and Arsenal (one each) have lost fewer Premier League games than the Toffees (two).

But you know your club best and we want you to tell us one thing - good or bad - that nobody is currently talking about at Everton.

Let us know your thoughts here

Ian Kennedy
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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The big games keep coming for Everton, and at the moment it is a case of "bring it on".

Saturday's win at Nottingham Forest was significant on many levels. It was an away win against a top-three side, but more than that, it was a deserved win and no smash and grab.

It will be fascinating to see how they fare on Saturday against a Manchester City side battling for a top-four place, but Everton will go into the game without any fear. David Moyes was able to make changes at the weekend and still had options on the bench like Beto, Alcaraz and McNeil who made big contributions.

That is a nice position to be in.

Safety is still on the brink of being mathematically certain, but there is no doubt - Everton are safe - yet there is no sign of holidays being booked. There is much to play for, to take into next season, and to keep this momentum intact.

The players still want to impress the manager and so the mindset remains focused. So expect Goodison to be rocking on Saturday!

Listen to Total Sport Merseyside from 18:00 on weeknights and find details here of live Everton match commentaries on BBC Radio Merseyside

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions in a special Q&A session on Tuesday.

G asked: Would you extend Abdoulaye Doucoure's contract? I'm firmly in the camp of "thanks for everything, but it is time to move on".

Phil answered: It sounds a bit like fence-sitting but I think you would need to know what alternatives are out there before deciding on that - and you would need to know what Doucoure would want, of course.

I would certainly think long and hard about it because he is 32 years old.

I would be tempted to give Idrissa Gueye a deal before Doucoure, even though he is 36 in September.

David Moyes might have some ideas of his own because, despite the upturn since he arrived, Everton's team still needs some serious strengthening.