Everton have made a sharp start to the new season, with performances suggesting David Moyes has something genuinely promising building at the club this year.
Crystal Palace were beaten 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to open the Premier League campaign, a result that immediately lifted spirits among the Everton faithful.
That momentum carried into the Carabao Cup, where Preston North End were thrashed 4-0 at Deepdale, with Everton fielding a strong line-up to underline their intentions for the season ahead.
At the heart of that Deepdale demolition was Thierno Barry, who helped himself to a hat-trick and is now hitting top form just 12 months after a difficult debut Premier League campaign.
Barry arrived at Everton from Villarreal for £27m last summer, with the club hoping he would end their long search for a reliable number nine, and early signs suggest that faith may be justified.
He already has four goals to his name this season, following his three-goal cup display with an important strike to double Everton’s lead against Crystal Palace in the Premier League opener.
Barry appears to have taken Beto’s end-of-season purple patch in 2025/26 personally, determined to keep his hulking rival out of the starting line-up, creating the kind of healthy competition Moyes craved last term.
The transfer window could add yet another dimension to Everton’s attack, with transfer reporter Ben Jacobs revealing that Jack Grealish has decided he would like to re-join Everton should he leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
Manchester City’s interest in Iliman Ndiaye is growing, and his potential departure could pave the way for Grealish to return to Merseyside, where he rekindled his love for football last season.
Grealish scored twice and registered six assists in the Premier League before a foot injury ended his season early in January, and his impact had been widely praised before that setback curtailed his contribution.
“His presence has brought a sense of belief back to the dressing room,” remarked The Athletic’s Paddy Boyland after Grealish inspired a win over Bournemouth in December 2025.
Last term, the England playmaker created two chances per game for Everton, won 5.3 duels per match, and quickly assumed a talismanic role with much of the team’s creative play flowing through him.
Aston Villa, Grealish’s boyhood club, have held talks over a potential move, but his preference is understood to be a return to Everton, where he feels a genuine connection to the club and city.
Pairing Grealish with a striker in Barry who is growing in confidence and sharpness by the week could prove to be a genuinely exciting combination for Moyes to work with this season.
Although Barry left plenty to be desired in his debut campaign, he still managed eight top-flight goals while missing only ten big chances, which is far from a disappointing return for a player still adapting to English football.
Grealish’s creativity and focal role in the team could allow Barry to operate with the kind of service and support that turns a promising striker into a consistent one across a full Premier League season.