David Moyes will need to blend youth and experience in his first pre-season squads, presenting chances to academy players
Two academy players could be set for their first opportunities in the Everton first team this week. The Blues kick-off their pre-season friendlies with a trip to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.
The match is the first of a schedule that will also take David Moyes’ team to Blackburn Rovers and then the USA before ending against Roma at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
With senior players involved in international action this summer having been given the chance to sit out the training camp in Scotland, the size of the squad means Moyes will have to blend youth with experience in midweek.
Everton spent the past week, their first full week since they returned for pre-season, north of the border as they got their summer underway. Following the departure of a dozen senior players this summer, Moyes’ squad is threadbare.
And with Jordan Pickford, Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye given longer breaks after their season extended beyond the final day win at Newcastle United, there was a strong contingent of youngsters in the ranks. They included 17-year-olds Douglass Lukjanciks and Braiden Graham.
With new signing Thierno Barry also having been involved in international matches with France Under-21s, Everton will rely on youth to fill out the squad this week. Two players who could be in line to benefit are Harry Tyrer and Isaac Heath.
Tyrer, 23, is the only Everton goalkeeper, other than Jordan Pickford, with first team experience. After successful loan spells with Chesterfield and Blackpool, the Crosby-born keeper is likely to start at the Wham Stadium. His rise follows the departures this summer of Asmir Begovic, Joao Virginia, Billy Crellin and Zan-Luk Leban. Everton are looking at Mark Travers, who was in goal for Bournemouth when Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the survival-clinching strike on the final day in 2023, as potential back-up to Pickford but Tyrer could be given the third berth in the squad.
With Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who shared duties on the right wing last season, having returned to their parent clubs following their loan spells, there is no specialist option in that position in the senior squad.
Ndiaye could be used there when he returns and Dwight McNeil also had minutes there last season, but the position is one of high priority this summer following the signing of Barry.
Of the squad that travelled to Scotland, James Garner, Carlos Alcaraz, McNeil and Nathan Patterson could all be utilised.
But they could all be required elsewhere should Moyes want to play his strongest line-up, particularly with James Tarkowski and Seamus Coleman not pictured taking part in training drills last week.
Both have been shown running, suggesting they have made significant progress from the injuries they ended last season with.
This could create a chance for Moyes to use Heath on the right, the position he often occupied for the U21s last season. The 20-year-old, Everton’s U21s player of the season, signed a new two-year deal this week and is hoping to go out on loan if there is not a route into the first team.
Should Moyes look to start his most experienced team then McNeil and Alcarez may be utilised out wide, with academy starlet Harrison Armstrong, Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner filling out the central midfield.
But either way, of the youngsters who will be involved in midweek, the likes of Reece Welch, Jenson Metcalfe and Martin Sherif among them, Heath could have the chance to pick up important experience.
Potential line-up for Accrington (4-5-1): Tyrer; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, O’Brien, Patterson; Alcaraz, Garner, Armstrong, Iroegbunam, McNeil; Beto.