David Moyes' second spell at Everton began amid a chorus of sceptics, many of whom dismissed the appointment as a nostalgic stunt by a club teetering on the brink of relegation. When the Scottish manager first left Goodison Park eleven and a half years ago, the Toffees were a very different proposition – financially stable, regularly challenging for European spots and still fresh from a recent foray into continental competition.
Fast forward to his return, and the picture was starkly different. Everton were reeling from a points deduction imposed less than 18 months earlier, and they were perched just one point above the drop zone when Moyes stepped back onto the pitch.
Yet, in a remarkable turn of events, the club has not only stabilized but now finds itself perched on the cusp of a European push as it prepares for the first Hill Dickinson Merseyside derby, broadcast live on Sky Sports. The notion that Everton could be talking about Champions League qualification seemed laughable when Moyes first walked through the door.
Since his departure, the team had drifted further away from the top‑six, and many pundits wrote off any hope of a continental return. Ironically, the very man who guided Everton to their most recent Europa League appearance two decades ago has become the catalyst for a resurgence. While it would be an oversimplification to credit Moyes alone – after all, he also delivered West Ham United their sole European trophy, the 1965 Cup Winners' Cup – his impact this time around appears even more profound because the challenges are greater. A victory over arch‑rivals Liverpool on Sunday would see Everton within two points of the fifth‑place slot that guarantees a Champions League berth.
Since Moyes’ comeback, the Toffees have climbed to seventh in the Premier League, sitting above traditional heavyweights such as Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur – all clubs that have either been regulars in the competition or are currently occupying Champions League places. This achievement is particularly striking given the financial disparity. United, Newcastle and Spurs have each spent well over £100 million in the last two transfer windows, dwarfing Everton’s modest outlay. Yet Moyes has maximised the resources at his disposal, turning a side once earmarked for relegation into genuine European contenders.
One of the most notable aspects of this transformation is the improvement in Everton’s away form – an area that had long been a weakness in Moyes’ managerial résumé, especially after his stint at Manchester United ended in 2014. Since his return, Everton have become one of the best road teams in the league, only trailing Arsenal and Manchester City in points per game away from home, with an average of 1.68 points per fixture.
Historically, Moyes has rarely posted a better away record than at home; his previous spells at West Ham, Sunderland and even United were characterised by modest away returns, often hovering around a single point per game. The Toffees have compensated for a modest goal output – Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall leads the scoring charts with just seven goals – by becoming exceptionally hard to break down on the road. This defensive resilience has produced surprise point hauls at some of England’s most intimidating venues, including Old Trafford, St James’ Park and Villa Park. Those results have propelled Everton into a European conversation that seemed impossible at the start of the campaign.
However, the new Hill Dickinson Stadium presents a fresh set of challenges. While the team’s away exploits have been exemplary, their home form tells a different story.
Everton have recorded only six Premier League victories at their new ground, leaving them 14th in the home league table. Some observers attribute this to the typical growing‑pain associated with relocating to a new venue. Moyes himself has noted that “most teams that move into a new stadium struggle initially,” a sentiment echoed by many former players who have experienced similar transitions.
The atmosphere at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is noticeably different from the fortress that was Goodison Park. The open‑air design allows sound to dissipate more quickly, reducing the intensity of the crowd’s roar and potentially making the pitch feel less hostile for visiting sides. Statistically, Everton’s style of play shifts markedly when they are on their own turf.
They adopt a more direct approach, attempting 107 more long passes than they do away, and their possession drops to 39.7 % compared with 47.6 % on the road. Interestingly, the change in approach does not appear to affect their goal‑scoring output; they have netted 21 goals at home (xG 20.46) and 19 away (xG 22.82). Defensively, however, the higher possession rates at home have made them slightly more vulnerable.
Although they have conceded only one more goal in the stadium than on the road, their expected goals against (xGA) is nearly four goals worse at Hill Dickinson, suggesting an element of luck in the current figures. By holding onto the ball longer, Everton expose themselves to turnovers in dangerous areas, giving opponents opportunities to capitalize. Conversely, their more direct, counter‑attacking mindset away from home helps them keep the ball away from their own penalty area, allowing them to reorganise defensively and limit high‑quality chances against them. As the season reaches its climax, the oft‑repeated mantra that “every game is a cup final” needs a subtle tweak for Everton under Moyes: treat every match as an away game, regardless of venue.
This philosophy, if applied consistently, could see the Toffees defy early‑season expectations and secure a coveted European place for the blue half of Merseyside. The upcoming derby against Liverpool will be a litmus test for this approach. A win would not only narrow the gap to the Champions League spots but also reinforce the belief that Moyes’ pragmatic, road‑focused tactics can translate into success at home as the team continues to adapt to its new surroundings.
Fans can catch the clash live on Sky Sports Main Event at 1 pm on Super Sunday, and the drama continues off the pitch with a Super 6 competition offering a £250,000 prize for free entrants. Regardless of the outcome, Moyes’ tenure at Everton has already rewritten the narrative of a club once written off as a relegation candidate, turning it into a plausible contender for European football.