From European hopes to relegation form - will Moyes reignite Everton?

For much of last season, Everton appeared on the rise. Loan signing Jack Grealish made an instant impact, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall proved to be a dependable matchwinner. Strikers Thierno Barry and Beto revived their goal-scoring form after early-season struggles. A 3-0 victory over Chelsea on March 21 placed Everton eighth in the Premier League, just three points away from Champions League qualification with seven games still to play.

Fans were dreaming of a big push to the top flight. However, the team's performance swiftly turned sour. Everton failed to win any of their remaining matches, the longest winless run since David Moyes returned for a second spell in charge in 2025. A 2-2 draw at Brentford on April 11 marked the beginning of a decline that saw Everton relegated with only three other teams - Burnley and Wolves.

Despite the drop, Everton still hoped for European football when they faced Sunderland in their final home match of the 2025-26 season. CEO Angus Kinnear declared that he was "happily dissatisfied" with the campaign, a phrase that grew increasingly contradictory as the season progressed. Promoted Sunderland finished seventh and secured European football for the first time in 53 years, highlighting the irony for Moyes that Everton finished 13th in both his return seasons but with very different results.

Former midfielder Leon Osman sees the recent mid-table finishes as demonstrating progress after a chaotic period of financial breaches, points deductions, and relegation battles. Moyes acknowledges the challenge of competing with the biggest spenders in the Premier League, ranking 15th for net spend over the past five years. However, he emphasizes that changes take time and that despite having only 12 months left of his contract, he expects to see it through.