Teenage pair Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola travelled to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as part of Everton's squad
Malik Olayiwola and Braiden Graham before the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton on September 12, 2026
Malik Olayiwola and Braiden Graham before the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton on September 12, 2026(Image: Tony McArdle - Everton FC via Getty Images)
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After travelling to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, teenage pair Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola will be hoping to be part of Everton’s matchday squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Blues boss David Moyes has just 18 outfield players to choose from in his senior squad – a figure currently further reduced to 16 with Christian Norgaard and now Merlin Rohl both injured – so the youngsters could be given their chance. A photograph taken by Everton’s Tony McArdle showed Graham’s number 58 jersey hung up alongside Olayiwola’s number 76 in the away dressing room at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, while the former was named among the substitutes, the latter was not with Moyes opting to stick two goalkeepers on the bench for the first time this term as Mark Travers was joined by Tom King. Doubts persist over Jordan Pickford’s fitness after the England number one appeared to be in pains at times and Travers took part in a prolonged warm-up.
Both Graham and Olayiwola were among the unused substitutes the last time there was a cup tie at Hill Dickinson Stadium with the Blues crashing out of the FA Cup at the third round stage, losing 3-0 on penalties to Sunderland after a 1-1 draw after extra time on January 10. Graham, who was called up for the senior Northern Ireland squad for their friendlies against Guinea and France in June, will be pushing for an Everton debut after the summer transfer window closed without him being loaned out.
The Ballygowan-born prospect was also named on the bench by Moyes for the Blues’ 2-0 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on December 30 last year. However, despite Graham starting out as a striker and his former Linfield manager David Healy, Northern Ireland’s all-time leading scorer saying he is “goals, goals, goals,” the Glaswegian gaffer cautioned that despite Thierno Barry now being his only recognised centre-forward, he doesn’t envisage the youngster fulfilling the role.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference to preview Everton’s 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United, Moyes said of Graham: “I don’t think he’s a striker, first of all. He’s probably someone who would play off the sides for us.
“We like Braiden, he’s trained with us quite a lot and he was in pre-season with us.
“He’s certainly moving in the right direction. It would be a difficult ask for any young player to come in and be a source for goals (in the Premier League).”
The shirts of Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola before the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton on September 12, 2026
The shirts of Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola before the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton on September 12, 2026
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Graham netted 21 goals for the Blues’ academy teams last season and has found the net three times so far this term. After missing the cut at Spurs on Saturday evening, midfielder Olayiwola, who is still only 17, still managed to enjoy a fruitful weekend in London as he came off the bench to score for Everton Under-21s to seal their 2-0 win over their Brentford counterparts at Wheatsheaf Park in Staines.
A deflected effort from Melvin Matos put the Blues ahead on 57 minutes and then two minutes from the end, Manchester-born Olayiwola found the net with a low drive from the edge of the area.
Describing being part of Everton’s squad for the Sunderland cup tie in January, he said: “That was surreal. Being around so many people you watch on TV, warming up and being in the same environment as them was crazy.
“I take a lot of confidence knowing I was called up to be with them, so I’ve gone into this week – with my own age group – to perform.”
A whirlwind week also saw him sign his first professional contract – in his 12th year at the club – and Olayiwola added: “I’m very proud because I’ve worked a long time for this.
“This season’s been good because I’ve gone from the Under-18s to Under-21s and then on to the bench with the first team so quickly. It all happened so fast – I was just excited.”