Everton have a tough start to 2026-27 — The Toffees can't afford to be undercooked

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

When Everton opened up their 2025-26 Premier League campaign at Elland Road, they did so with a squad that was far from ready for the rigours of the season.

They were badly undercooked. The recruitment had not been fast enough over the summer, and injuries to Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaliy Mykolenko subsequently compounded the issue in the week building up to that trip to Leeds United.

What followed was one of Everton’s poorest performances of the campaign, and given how badly the season ended, that’s saying something.

Leeds were hardly great themselves, and only won due to a contentiously awarded penalty late on, but a better team than the Whites would have put Everton to the sword, and then some.

But at the start of next season, things must be different for Everton.

The fixtures were released on Friday, and Everton open 2026-27 at home against Crystal Palace. A trip to Bournemouth, that traditionally unhappy hunting ground (albeit, Everton did win at the Vitality Stadium back in November), follows. Then it’s a home game against Manchester United, before the Toffees head to Tottenham.

Ipswich Town coming to the Hill Dickinson Stadium rounds off the first five games, prior to the season’s first international break, which will be an extended, three-week buffer, before Everton head to Hull City.

Given the games after that trip to Hull see Everton take on Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle United, then it’s fair to say the start looks a tough one.

Now, everybody has to play everybody else twice, and I am definitely not going into panic mode when we are still two months out from the season starting.

But Everton must be ready this time.

Last year, they had a kind start. Away at Leeds, home to Brighton — in the first competitive game at Hill Dickinson Stadium, giving Everton a natural edge — and then away at Wolves.

Aston Villa were the toughest team, visiting in Matchweek 4, but they were out of sorts and fortunate to hang on to a 0-0 draw. The Merseyside derby arrived early, but home fixtures against West Ham and Crystal Palace followed.

What Everton did well after that initial shitshow against Leeds was to manage to pick up points on a consistent basis, and if there were poor displays, they were quickly put right next time out. That’s what ensured there was never any sense of danger last term, and had us all looking up rather than down.

But with such a torrid end to the season, Everton and, in particular, David Moyes, cannot afford another undercooked start.

Everton are trying to do business, but trying isn’t good enough.

They must ensure players are in the door for pre-season, and that those players are ready to make the impact and ready to be trusted by Moyes. If that’s the case, then he can have no excuse not to use them.

It’s of course not realistic to expect Everton to have every single bit of business done before the season begins, but it is absolutely fair to demand that any major dealings are done and dusted well in time, and that pre-season is treated as an opportunity to get those key players bedded in.

We can’t have any talk of “moves failing in some departments”, because simply put, there is no more excuse for that.

Everton have a tough start, and they must be ready, or it could get very ugly, very quickly.

Reader Comments (13)

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Ian Bennett 2 Posted 22/06/2026 at 09:13:44

We need players in, simple as that. There are gaps through the squad that is light in depth and quality, whilst we need to move on a couple who aren't good enough.

Leeds heavily linked with Wilson and Shea Charles. Two decent players for £20M.

Andrew Merrick 3 Posted 22/06/2026 at 09:21:06

Undercooked or half baked, is that really the choice?

Dave Lynch 4 Posted 22/06/2026 at 09:42:59

Dan...

Do you not think it would be cheaper to pay off the Ginger Mingebag than let him spend probably £30M+ on overpriced, big-wage players that he is bound to bring in?

Mark Ryan 6 Posted 22/06/2026 at 10:30:54

At this precise time, I am concerned for next season.

Nothing from the club about the Burnley situation, nothing about Grealish, nothing about other transfers and nothing but cautionary tales coming from Dino Dave. It's all a bit too quiet.

I understand there is a cup competition going on but I'm daily hearing about movement at other clubs -- there is nothing positive coming out of Everton. I have to hope this isn't ominous.

Dan Brierley 7 Posted 22/06/2026 at 16:23:39

I don't believe any other manager that came in could do much else with this squad, Dave. I only see Pickford and Ndiaye as two players that would get into Top 4 squad. Even then they wouldn't be starters.

Pointing fingers at the manager when we have such a weak squad doesn't make much sense to me.

John Collins 8 Posted 22/06/2026 at 16:28:45

Is it 4 transfer windows Moyes has had to improve the "weak squad"?

Tony Abrahams 9 Posted 22/06/2026 at 16:36:40

This will be his fourth John, but I'm not sure some people count the winter windows because they reckon there is very little value.

It's much better keeping your powder dry for the summer window instead.

John Collins 10 Posted 22/06/2026 at 17:25:57

We might be arranging a trip to Europe if we got a little bit of it wet, Tony

Mike Gaynes 11 Posted 22/06/2026 at 17:42:07

I'd be surprised if Moyes departs the club when his managerial contract is up. Maybe kicked upstairs.

Per the comments of Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes is a pretty convincing recruiter. That can be handy to have.

John Collins 12 Posted 22/06/2026 at 17:55:37

Google Craig Bellamy, Moyes

Liam Mogan 13 Posted 22/06/2026 at 18:29:41

No one in their right mind thinks this squad of players is Top 4 or Top 6.

However, irrespective of the squad Moyes will churn out the same limited football, with the same prehistoric approach.

Hes an analogue manager in a digital agency. His ideas are the same as they were 20 years ago, he sets up without invention or flexibility.

With 8 games to go we were in a prime position to get a European place. He does what he always does in positions of jeopardy. He fails.

I firmly believe any other modern manager in that position would have got us in the top 9. All he did was churn out the same old formation and tactics with next to no attempt to actively win games. A 100% has-been and 30 year failure merchant.

And he's a miserable, self-serving curmudgeon.