Everton are “too large of a membership” to be preventing in opposition to relegation, so says David Moyes.
The Toffees stayed up by the pores and skin of their tooth in 2022-23, a yr after they secured their Premier League standing with only a sport to spare beneath Frank Lampard.
Factors deductions led to a pressurised 2023-24 marketing campaign, although Sean Dyche did steer Everton away from hazard, and his substitute Moyes, who took over for his second stint in cost in January 2025, then secured a Thirteenth-place end final time period.
Moyes went into the season, which is Everton’s first at their new house at Hill Dickinson Stadium, suggesting European qualification was a possible stretch goal, and with 13 video games remaining, his staff sit eighth, simply two factors behind sixth-place Liverpool.
Forward of internet hosting Bournemouth on Tuesday, Moyes mentioned: “This membership ought to by no means have been in that place. It’s too large, too sturdy of a membership.
“We must be speaking in regards to the different finish of the league. I’m now considering we’ve to continue to grow and getting away from the sensation of being a membership on the backside.
“I’d slightly the discuss be about European locations and never relegation locations. In all probability the historical past of the membership lately has been relegation locations.
“In the meanwhile, we’ve an extended technique to go, however if you happen to cling in with the groups above us, you simply by no means know.”
Everton have been regulars in Europe throughout Moyes’ first stint in cost between 2002 and 2013, although the Toffees have performed continental soccer simply twice because the Scot left for Manchester United.
They reached the final 16 of the Europa League in 2014-15, however did not make it out of the group stage in 2017-18.
With Jack Grealish anticipated to overlook the remainder of the season because of harm, one participant essential to Everton’s hopes of ending the marketing campaign on a excessive observe is Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor.
The midfielder, who signed from Chelsea in the summertime, scored Everton’s equaliser in opposition to Fulham on Saturday, earlier than organising their winner when his nook was diverted in by Bernd Leno.
Solely Grealish (eight) betters Dewsbury-Corridor’s seven league objective involvements for Everton this time period.
“Completely [he’s reached my expectations],” Moyes mentioned of Dewsbury-Corridor. “He mentioned he would rating me objectives, so we’ve definitely not been dissatisfied with him. We’ve been so, so happy with him.
“He was an enormous miss for us in December and January. I hope he retains doing it. I feel he’s nonetheless obtained just a little bit to do to get to the place he was [before the injury]. However he’s picked himself up properly, and he’s going properly.”
Final day out in opposition to Bournemouth… @JackGrealish #EVEBOU pic.twitter.com/ycuYAvD0ea
— Everton (@Everton) February 9, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton – Thierno Barry
Barry has scored three objectives in his final 5 house Premier League appearances for Everton, having not scored in seven beforehand.
The ahead final scored in consecutive house league appearances in Might 2024 for FC Basel at St Jakob-Park.
Bournemouth – Rayan
Bournemouth’s new signing Rayan scored their equaliser in opposition to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Rayan is the sixth totally different South American participant to both rating or help in every of his first two Premier League appearances, and is the youngest to take action.
MATCH PREDICTION: EVERTON WIN
Bournemouth are searching for back-to-back away Premier League victories for the primary time since February 2025, whereas they final had consecutive clear sheets on the highway in December 2023.
Following their 1-0 win on the Vitality Stadium in December, Everton need to full the league double over Bournemouth for the very first time.
Bournemouth have misplaced six of their eight away league video games in opposition to Everton, although they did come from 2-0 all the way down to win this actual fixture 3-2 final season. In addition they received the ultimate FA Cup sport at Goodison Park, beating the Toffees 2-0 in February of final yr.
Everton have received each of their Premier League video games on a Tuesday this season, together with a 1-0 win at Bournemouth in December.
They final received three consecutive Tuesday video games between March 2014 and December 2016, whereas they final did so in the identical season again in 1992-93.
Everton’s away type has been glorious, however they’ve received simply eight factors of their final eight Premier League house matches (W2 D2 L4), as many as they took of their first 4 video games this season at Hill Dickinson Stadium (W2 D2).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Everton – 43.3%
Draw – 26.7%
Bournemouth – 30%
