Opposition Report: Preston host Everton as Moyes returns to former club | OneFootball

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

For the first time since 2021, Everton have made a winning start to their campaign.

Usually, there’d be a second Premier League game to come before the start of a League Cup campaign, but with the start to this season having been delayed by the World Cup, we’re straight into some knockout action.

Everton have been drawn against Preston North End — David Moyes’ former club — who, coincidentally, used Goodison Park as their home ground for their 1st-round tie with Huddersfield Town, with Deepdale undergoing some redevelopment.

Preston won that match on penalties.

Deepdale, not Goodison, will play host to Wednesday’s match, which has also been selected for live broadcast by Sky Sports.

Here’s what to expect from Preston.

LAST TIME OUT

Preston have made a losing start to their Championship campaign, having suffered a big drop-off in the back half of last season, too.

Paul Heckingbottom’s team lost 3-1 to Wolves last weekend, after a 2-1 reverse at Bolton Wanderers in their opening league game.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Preston’s record against Everton stands at 33 games won, 28 drawn and 38 lost.

They last faced the Toffees back in October 2004, losing 2-0 in a League Cup tie. Moyes was Everton’s manager then, too, of course.

PRESTON'S FORM

Here are Preston’s last six competitive results:

22nd April: Birmingham City 2-1 Preston

25th April: Sheffield United 2-3 Preston

2nd May: Preston 1-3 Southampton

8th August: Preston 1-1 Huddersfield Town (4-3 on pens)

15th August: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Preston

22nd August: Wolves 3-1 Preston

ONE TO WATCH

Preston have netted in their last 6 games, so they do know where the back of the net is and, with the sniff of a giant-killing on the cards, are sure to come out strong in the hope of testing Everton’s defence.

Their striker, Jusef Erabi, is one to keep a close eye on.

The 23-year-old, who is on loan from Genk, has already had five shots across his two Championship appearances, leading the way in both of Preston’s matches.

He scored on his second-tier debut, albeit his 86th-minute effort against Bolton proved nothing more than a consolation.

WHAT CAN EVERTON TARGET?

This is a Preston team that ended last season badly, and Everton really should stamp their authority on proceedings from the off.

Harrison Armstrong, of course, spent the first half of last term on loan at Preston, so he should be no stranger to how they play, while Hayden Hackney was named Championship Player of the Season for 2025-26 — this is the kind of environment in which both of these midfielders have previously thrived, and they should be looking to be dominant in the centre of the park.

There’s likely to be several changes from Moyes, especially in attack, with Tyler Dibling and Brennan Johnson no doubt eager to get starts.

But Moyes should not alter too much. Do not mess around. One of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall or Iliman Ndiaye should feature from the off; this game should be about building momentum, not risking a potential early exit.