grandoldteam.com

Everton’s unbeaten start has changed the early Premier League picture

Everton have made a quiet but convincing start to the 2026/27 Premier League season. David Moyes’ side are seventh after five matches, with nine points, two wins and three draws. They have not lost a league game, and only three goals have gone past Jordan Pickford.

The figures are encouraging because Everton have not needed a run of spectacular scorelines to reach the top half. They have built their position through control, defensive discipline and an ability to protect narrow leads. For supporters balancing match coverage with other entertainment such as online slots, the appeal of this Everton side is its growing reliability rather than pure chaos.

Their next league fixture is away to Hull City on Sunday 11 October. It is an early test of how much the unbeaten run can become a platform for a stronger season, rather than simply a promising opening month.

The first five matches in numbers

|||

Statistic Everton’s record

Matches played 5

Wins 2

Draws 3

Losses 0

Goals scored 6

Goals conceded 3

Goal difference +3

Points 9

League position 7th

Everton began with a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace, then drew 1-1 away at Bournemouth. A 2-2 draw against Manchester United followed at Hill Dickinson Stadium, before a goalless draw at Tottenham. The most recent result was a 1-0 home win against Ipswich Town.

That sequence gives the start more weight. Everton have taken points in different kinds of games: a controlled home victory, a difficult away draw, an open match against a major opponent and a tight contest settled by one goal.

They have scored six times, so this is not yet an attack sweeping teams aside. However, they have conceded only three. Everton and Leeds United currently share the division’s best defensive record after five fixtures.

Defensive consistency is giving Moyes a base

Moyes has often built teams around clarity of role and a strong defensive structure. The early evidence suggests that approach is working again.

James Tarkowski has been central to it. He has completed 182 successful passes so far, the highest total in Everton’s squad, and his role extends beyond clearances and aerial duels. Everton want to begin attacks with calmer possession rather than simply relieving pressure.

Jarrad Branthwaite gives the back line recovery pace and strength, while Vitalii Mykolenko provides balance on the left. Jordan Pickford remains a major figure behind them, particularly in games where Everton have needed to defend their box late on.

The 0-0 draw at Tottenham showed the value of that organisation. Everton did not dominate the game, but they denied Spurs the type of space that turns possession into high-quality chances. A point away against a difficult opponent can look ordinary in isolation. In the context of an unbeaten opening, it is evidence of a team that knows how to manage a match.

That does not mean Everton can rely on defending for 90 minutes every week. The Premier League is too demanding for that. It does mean they now have a base that allows the forwards to play without carrying the pressure of needing two or three goals every weekend.

Thierno Barry has made a useful early contribution

Thierno Barry is Everton’s leading league scorer with two goals. It is a modest total, but no player has run away with the Golden Boot race after five matches, and Barry’s contribution has come at a useful time.

Everton have spread responsibility across the pitch rather than relying on one scorer. Harrison Armstrong leads the team for assists with one, while the midfield has supplied energy and shape around the forward line.

The selection against Ipswich showed how Moyes is trying to combine experience with younger players. Armstrong started in midfield alongside James Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry involved further forward.

Grealish’s presence gives Everton another route through games that become tight. He can carry the ball into advanced areas, draw defenders and create space for runners. Dewsbury-Hall gives the side another player capable of linking midfield and attack, while Garner’s work rate helps keep the structure intact when Everton lose possession.

The question is not simply how many goals Everton can score. It is how regularly they can create chances without leaving their defence exposed. The next phase of the season will show whether that balance is improving.

Draws have value, but Everton need to turn more games into wins

Three draws in five matches keep a team unbeaten, but they can also limit progress if they continue over a long period. Everton are currently level on points with Brentford, Leeds United and Liverpool, but Manchester City already have 15 points at the top of the table.

The gap is still small because the season is young. One victory can move a team several places, while one defeat can have the opposite effect. Everton’s task is to preserve the habits that have made them hard to beat while finding a way to take more control in matches against teams around them.

The home win over Ipswich offered a useful example. Everton did not need a high-scoring performance. They got the goal, protected their advantage and collected three points. If that becomes a regular pattern at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the club can build a healthy points total quickly.

Away games will require a different approach. Everton have already drawn at Bournemouth and Tottenham, but wins on the road would make the top-half position feel more secure. The visit to Hull gives them a chance to show that the defensive record travels well.

Hull can reveal the next stage of Everton’s season

Hull are eighth with eight points, one point behind Everton. The match is therefore more than an ordinary early-season fixture. It gives both sides an opportunity to establish themselves in the crowded section of the table below the leading clubs.

Everton should go into the game with confidence after five unbeaten matches, but Moyes will know that the standard has to rise again. A strong result would extend the run, maintain their position near the European places and build momentum before the fixture list becomes more demanding.

The early signs are positive. Everton are compact, difficult to break down and capable of taking points without playing at their best. The next challenge is to add more attacking authority to that foundation.

Read full news in source page