A look at the changes David Moyes could make to his starting line-up when Everton return to action away to Manchester City on October 18
Paul Wheelock is the head of sport at the Liverpool ECHO, overseeing Everton FC and Liverpool FC coverage, having previously held the position of content editor and Blood Red: Liverpool FC podcast and video editor. He used to be a football club correspondent, reporting on Blackburn Rovers for the Lancashire Telegraph and Chester FC for the Chester Chronicle.
Everton's Scottish manager David Moyes gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on October 5, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
David Moyes gestures on the touchline during the Premier League match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium(Image: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
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What a difference a goal makes. Had Jack Grealish not inadvertently turned in Daniel Munoz’s attempted clearance and saw the ball fly into the Crystal Palace net, the international break could have looked markedly different for Everton.
Yes, there would have been positives to take from an improved second-half performance and the fact they’d snatched a point from an excellent and long-unbeaten Eagles side who deserved more.
But a 1-1 draw would have stretched the Blues’ winless run in all competitions to five matches and left manager David Moyes with plenty to ponder going into the latest enforced interruption in the domestic football calendar.
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Instead Grealish’s late intervention sealed a dramatic and rousing 2-1 triumph over a Palace team who suffered their first defeat since April. How they must hate facing Everton.
That said, Moyes still has plenty to think about when it comes to his starting line-up ahead of the return to action at Manchester City on Saturday, October 18.
And here we take a look at some of the changes the Blues boss could make for that tricky test at the Etihad...
Changes at right-back and centre-back
Palace supporters may have serenaded Dean Henderson with the chant of ‘England’s No.1’ at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday but it was the performance of the Three Lions’ true first-choice, Jordan Pickford, that demonstrated why he remains just that, despite constant, misguided calls for change between the posts from people who should know better.
Pickford, once again, was outstanding, and while it’s easier with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps if Moyes could re-do his starting line-up for the disappointing Carabao Cup defeat at Wolves, he would not give the 31-year-old a night off.
Pickford certainly starts against Man City alongside centre-back and captain James Tarkowski and left-back Vitalii Mykolenko.
But the other two positions at the back could be up for grabs. If Michael Keane is sidelined with the injury that forced him off against Palace, Moyes will have to move Jake O’Brien inside given it is unlikely that Jarrad Branthwaite will be thrown straight back into the team against Pep Guardiola’s men, even if has returned to training.
That would leave a gap at right-back but James Garner’s display in the position on Sunday, after Keane went off, did further raise the suspicion that the England Under-21 international could be the longer-term answer there, even if it would leave a hole in the midfield.
Carlos Alcaraz starts - but where?
If Carlos Alcaraz does not start against City then he’d have every right to ask why given his game-changing performance off the bench against the Eagles.
And there is a place in the side with his name on it given the on-loan Grealish cannot feature against his parent club.
But would Alcaraz better be suited in the centre rather than the left, where Grealish operates? And if so, where would the suspension-free Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall play?
Iliman Ndiaye certainly starts, as does Idrissa Gueye, but what about Tim Iroegbunam? Like Alcaraz and Beto, he was excellent as a substitute at the weekend, with his positive, line-breaking passing and purposeful running offering a timely reminder of his talents.
If Garner plays right-back, it would appear that Iroegbunam, Gueye, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall and Alcaraz will make up Moyes’ five players behind the lone forward in Manchester. But in exactly what positions is another question.
Beto gets his chance - again
The fact that Beto has made five starts and Thierno Barry four in Everton’s nine competitive matches so far this season indicates that Moyes is no closer to knowing his undisputed No.9.
He can, of course, continue to chop and change, but it feels that one of Beto or Barry needs a run now.
But to be absolutely fair to Moyes, neither are showing enough on a consistent basis to warrant that.
That is expected with Barry, a young player who is new to the Premier League and who is clearly short of confidence given his largely anonymous display against the Eagles.
Beto, though, showed plenty of confidence and more importantly, willing, when he replaced Barry, and while he should have scored before Grealish eventually did, his impact was undeniable and he should start against City.
But then it is up to Beto to produce a level of performance that ensures he remains in the team for Tottenham Hotspur the week after that and beyond.