If you look closely, you will see that Everton are developing into a team of newfound modernism.
David Moyes is perhaps perceived by some as being something of a pragmatic manager, rooted in strong defensive principles and an acceptance of non-possession-based football, standing firm against the current and then attacking on the break.
But he's long been more nuanced than that. Moyes won the Conference League with West Ham United, after all, hauling that Irons side into a team of consistency among European places. Sixth, seventh. And silverware in there too.
Everton manager David Moyes
Everton are at a different stage, but Moyes, having only been at the club since January, when Sean Dyche was dismissed than the mood was low, has created a team that is showing signs of quality befitting a top-half-of-the-table finish in the Premier League.
Against Aston Villa at the weekend, Everton were the aggressors. It ended 0-0, but the team will take solace in their upswing in chance creation.
Premier League 25/26 - xG Leaders
Team
Man United
Chelsea
Man City
Brighton
Everton
Data via FBref
Who might be the centrepiece of all this? Why, Jack Grealish, of course.
Jack Grealish's Everton rebirth
Last season in the Premier League, Everton concluded their campaign with an xG total of just 41.8, the lowest of any side not to get relegated.
It's clear to discern a summer strategy catered toward creative additions, and Grealish has been the heart of this. Signed from Manchester City on loan for the duration of the season, the England international has returned to form spectacularly, assisting four goals across his first two starts.
Jack-Grealish-Everton-25-26-stats
A silky dribbler and an intelligent technician, Grealish had fallen from his perch over the past couple of years in Manchester, reduced to a fringe role that shunted his finer attributes.
Moyes has taken him off the leash and is being repaid with high-level creative performances. As per Sofascore's data, the 29-year-old is averaging 2.8 key passes and 6.8 successful duels per game.
Grealish is in his prime; he's not a young talent anymore. However, Everton might find that regardless of the playmaker's future on Merseyside, they have a new version waiting in the wings in Tyler Dibling, who joined the club from Southampton for £42m during the summer.
But, in fact, there's another rising star in Moyes' squad who might prove to be Grealish 2.0.
Everton's next version of Grealish
Dibling might indeed appear the natural successor to Grealish's place on the Premier League stage - and not just because of the hair.
The 19-year-old is fiercely talented and shares a proclivity for flashy, hard-to-stop progress on the ball.
Tyler Dibling for Everton-1
But the man in question here is actually Charly Alcaraz, who spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Goodison Park before a permanent clause was activated and he became a fixed resident in Liverpool, leaving Brazilian side Flamengo for £13m.
A shrewd buy. So far, the one-time Southampton prospect has made 20 appearances for Everton, and he has scored three goals and provided three assists.
Carlos-Alcaraz
This season in the Premier League, the Argentina international has only started once. But then he made an impression on that opening-day defeat by Leeds United, completing both of his dribbles, winning six duels and completing 83% of his passes. Defensively, it must be said, he left something to be desired.
But no one could deny that the 22-year-old is a "special" talent, as was remarked by youth scout Antonio Mango back in 2023. Already, he is demonstrating an aptitude for creating chances, ranking among attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe in the top 16% for assists, the top 17% for goal-creating actions and the top 3% for take-on success rate, data courtesy of FBref.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
That latter metric is curious. Alcaraz might not play with the same kind of relentlessness on the ball as Grealish, but he's extremely effective when he opts to lunge forward and beat his man.
Everton - Most Successful Dribblers (24/25)
Player
Charly Alcaraz
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Michael Keane
Jack Grealish
Iliman Ndiaye
Data via Sofascore
Alcaraz hasn't yet nailed down a starting spot in Moyes' Everton team, not with consistency, but he's viewed as a player who can inspire chances and put paid to inattentive defenders, boasting quick feet and combative physical traits and a desire to attack.
He's got everything that he needs to succeed in the Premier League, and has already demonstrated his confidence and eagerness to step up when his team need him. He scored on his first league start for the Toffees, after all.
Dibling might have the higher ceiling, and that's no discredit to Alcaraz's skillset, but the South American is ready to make an impact for Moyes' side and influence things from midfield. Tactically versatile, his ball-carrying ability and range of technical skills mean he can operate across a number of different berths.
Grealish has made an electric start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the esteemed Premier League giant has never throughout his career been the most prolific, and thus it's important that Everton have different players to create and attack on goal, easing his burden and indeed that of the strikers, who continue to play with question marks over their heads.
Keep a close eye on Alcaraz; he hasn't announced himself yet in 2025/26, but the talent is undeniable, and his chance to showcase his quality will come.