REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
On Saturday evening, Everton were resilient in holding Tottenham Hotspur to a draw in north London, but the truth is that David Moyes and his side were left rueing a missed opportunity to claim all three points.
Public opinion has rarely been Everton's friend, and the ruling at the end of the summer transfer window is that they will fall by the wayside in the Premier League this season. Oftentimes, public opinion isn't on the money, and the Toffees now have the chance to show off their resourcefulness as they combat a threadbare squad attacked and stripped of depth.
REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
Indeed, Everton are eighth in the Premier League after four matches, level on points with Liverpool after their neighbours' scattergun summer spending spree.
Unlike the Reds, Moyes' side are steadily proving the doubters wrong.
How Everton are proving the doubters wrong this season
Make no mistake, doubts over Everton's chances this season are not undue. Everton suffered a red-faced end to the summer transfer window, losing five first-team players on deadline day and adding only Jack Grealish and Ainsley Maitland-Niles to the crew. But there is a stoic feeling about the Hill Dickinson.
After all, it's not as if Moyes used an expansive crop of players last season. Everton fielded fewer senior players than any other squad in the Premier League, and so while the current situation isn't ideal, it's not wholly new territory.
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Fewest Players Used in the Premier League (25/26)
League Rank
16th
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20th
There's no question that Everton are light in attack, that they need another maverick to fill an Iliman Ndiaye-shaped hole, and that they may come to rue the failure to sign a challenger for Thierno Barry at No. 9, deals for Folarin Balogun and Joshua Zirkzee falling through on deadline day.
And still. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall said he was "annoyed" by the transfer meltdowns from supporters and rivals at the end of the transfer window. Everton have a way to go before they can truly put paid to such concerns, but there's no question that there is a feel-good factor at this club which can be observed through the players.
And it's not as if the Toffees don't have first-class quality in their ranks. In fact, they may have a superstar returning to form this season - and he's emerging as the club's new Séamus Coleman.
Everton have struck gold on the new Seamus Coleman
It's a legendary tale down Evertonian streets. "60 grand, 60 grand, Séamus Coleman." The right-back left the club this summer, aged 37, having been with Everton for 17 years.
seamus-coleman-everton-premier-league
It's rare that such a formidable Premier League defender is plucked for such a smart fee, but Everton might have repeated the trick with Jarrad Branthwaite, who has suffered with injury problems over the past several years, but has been immense at the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
In terms of natural talent, the 24-year-old may well be the finest centre-half England have on their roster. Certainly, he will be in line to star at the Euros in two years, fitness permitting.
Branthwaite could make a case for being the most intuitive and intelligent defender in the Premier League. Hailed as an "absolute monster" of a centre-half by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Like Coleman, Branthwaite didn't emerge from the Everton academy, but neither was he signed for a big fee. Instead, he joined the club from Carlisle for just £1m as a 17-year-old, recognised even then as a potential first-class player.
Everton manager David Moyes reacts alongside Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite
Signed for £1m, Everton could already have sold the one-cap England international for a staggering sum. Indeed, Manchester United have held a vested interest for some time, and last summer, were keen on striking a deal, though failed to agree terms with the Merseysiders, who demanded £70m.
Had that deal gone through, it would have represented a 6900% increase in value for Branthwaite, even after such frustrating injury misfortune over the past couple of years.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Class is permanent, though, and after four games in the Premier League this season, he has won 74% of his duels and recorded over ten defensive contributions on average each game. Remarkable.
After a testing summer transfer window, Moyes needed a talismanic player to step up and spearhead the way forward. Eyes have been riveted on the likes of Grealish and Barry, but Branthwaite is the best, most influential player at the Hill Dickinson, and his fitness could be the difference-maker for this club.
Moise Kean for Everton
Moise Kean for Everton