Guardian writers\u2019 predicted position: 10th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter\u2019s prediction but the average of our writers\u2019 tips)<\/p>\n
Last season\u2019s position: 13th<\/p>\n
Prospects<\/p>\n
A season stripped of the fear of relegation, featuring more proactive, front-footed football and the return of some hope: had Everton<\/a> been offered that package before their relocation to Hill Dickinson Stadium last summer it would have been accepted gratefully given the turmoil of the previous four years. For four fifths of last season it was accepted gratefully, but then came a collapse that transformed perceptions of David Moyes\u2019s first full season back in charge. Talk of progress requires more supporting evidence this time around.<\/p>\n Everton were three points off the fifth and final Champions League qualification spot on 21 March having dismantled Chelsea<\/a> in their finest performance at the club\u2019s new stadium. They did not win another game all season and slumped to 13th on the final day \u2013 the same position as the previous campaign under Sean Dyche and Moyes, with only one point more but an inferior goal difference. European football may well have been an ambitious target for a club adjusting to a new home and the loss of 10 players following the expiry of their contracts, loans included. But the opportunity presented itself to Moyes\u2019s team and they blew it.<\/p>\n Without the upheaval of last summer, with midfield resources improved and young players having had the benefit of a year\u2019s experience of the Premier League<\/a>, European qualification could be a more realistic proposition this season. Provided a few glaring holes in Moyes\u2019s squad are finally filled. An upgrade on the limited centre-forward options of Beto and Thierno Barry is essential, although the latter has shown more promising signs in pre-season. Likewise a successor to S\u00e9amus Coleman \u2013 one of several big Evertonian losses behind the scenes recently. Everton\u2019s quest for a new right-back is their very own Odyssey, while central defence was another area of concern last season. Genuine progress, the measure of which is not open to debate, rests on the final moves of the window.<\/p>\n Past five seasons<\/a>Off-field picture<\/p>\n The consequences of Farhad Moshiri\u2019s calamitous ownership are still being felt with Everton ordered to pay almost \u00a340m in compensation<\/a> to Burnley over the latter\u2019s relegation in 2021-22. Everton are appealing against the can-of-worms verdict by a Premier League independent disciplinary commission, along with the biggest financial penalty ever imposed on a Premier League club, but claim their latest punishment has not affected this summer\u2019s transfer plans. Many season ticket holders have been hit by above-inflation price increases \u2013 in some instances of almost 10% \u2013 and the club have extended a sponsorship deal with Stake, despite the UK government pledging to crack down<\/a> on unlicensed gambling operators sponsoring British sports teams.<\/p>\n Owner-fan relationship<\/p>\n The Friedkin Group (TFG) has brought the financial stability that Everton desperately needed but it would be a stretch to suggest fans have connected with a low-key ownership group that rarely attend games. The man they appointed to run the club, chief executive, Angus Kinnear, annoyed supporters at the end of last season by claiming the hierarchy was \u201chappily dissatisfied\u201d with the first campaign at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The comment was portrayed as fresh evidence of Everton accepting mediocrity but in fairness to Kinnear, who was writing about TFG\u2019s determination to banish the threats of financial instability, relegation and regulatory sanction, he did add: \u201cThe progress is clear but we have not achieved anything yet.\u201d<\/p>\n The manager<\/p>\n David Moyes turns 64 in April and, while the Premier League\u2019s oldest manager clearly retains the hunger and ambition to rebuild Everton on a stronger footing, it will be interesting to see whether he retains the appetite for a fight with his critics in the event of a poor start. Particularly as the Scotland job remains available and he would appear the ideal candidate to succeed Steve Clarke. Moyes was exceeding his brief until the dismal end to last season cost Everton a shot at Europe and placed his team selections under an unforgiving spotlight. Talk of a contract extension has since gone quiet.<\/p>\n Star signingBrennan Johnson struggled at Crystal Palace but could have just the attacking qualities Everton need. Photograph: Everton FC<\/p>\n It has been a sensible window rather than a sexy one from Everton so far \u2013 see replacing Idrissa Gana Gueye with the \u00a37m Christian N\u00f8rgaard \u2013 but they might have delivered in swapping Dwight McNeil for Brennan Johnson. No one would dispute that the Wales\u2019 international\u2019s move from Tottenham to Crystal Palace in January fell flat, least of all Palace who were willing to take a significant hit on their \u00a335m, one-time record investment only seven months later. But if the 25-year-old recaptures the form he showed at Nottingham Forest, or when scoring 18 goals for Spurs in 2024-25, he could prove a steal who addresses several problems in the Everton frontline.<\/p>\n Stat attack<\/p>\n David Moyes loves to keep a settled side. Everton averaged the fewest changes to their starting XI of any team in the 2025-26 Premier League. With the squad looking largely the same as last season, this trend should continue. But what if injuries bite?<\/p>\n