Former Premier League Golden Boot winner Kevin Phillips believes Thierno Barry is thriving under the pressure of becoming Everton’s main striker.
David Moyes was left with Barry as his only recognised senior centre-forward following a dramatic deadline day which saw Beto and Iliman Ndiaye leave and Everton’s proposed £40m move for Folarin Balogun collapse. It left considerable responsibility on a striker still adapting to English football, but Phillips believes Barry is beginning to embrace it.
Phillips backs Barry to handle Everton pressure
“Thierno Barry has developed, he certainly has, and he’s got the right type of manager to develop under,” Phillips told the Liverpool Echo. “I think him being the main man at Everton now, it’s time for him to step up.”
Barry joined Everton from Villarreal for £27m in July 2025 and endured a difficult start to life in the Premier League. His first goal didn’t arrive until his 17th appearance, ending a run of 737 minutes and 19 attempts without scoring when he found the net against Nottingham Forest in December.
The Frenchman has since taken his tally to five goals this season, having established himself as Moyes’ first-choice striker. The improvement looks even more significant given how long Barry had to wait for that breakthrough.
Phillips knows plenty about carrying a goalscoring burden himself. He scored 30 Premier League goals for Sunderland in 1999/2000 to win the Golden Boot and remains the only Englishman to have won the European Golden Shoe.
“He’s the number one striker now, so he probably is thriving on that pressure, and he’s shown that already with the types of goals he’s scored,” Phillips said. “Believe me, that’ll do his confidence the world of good.”
“Play within the width of the 18-yard box”
Phillips also believes Barry has the physical qualities required to operate as a lone striker, having previously played in a 4-4-2 at Villarreal. His advice is for the Everton forward to simplify the role rather than trying to cover too much ground.
“Now I think what he has to focus on, now he’s got his goals, is just play within the width of the 18-yard box and let the wide players do that work, chase the balls down,” Phillips said. “It’s as simple as that. That’s his job.”
Everton’s failed move for Balogun left Moyes without the additional senior striker he wanted, although Balogun has since admitted a future Premier League move remains possible. There is nothing in those comments to suggest Everton are considering another move, but the deadline-day collapse helps explain why so much responsibility now rests with Barry.
For the time being, Moyes doesn’t have another recognised senior centre-forward waiting to take Barry’s place. That brings pressure, but Phillips sees a player responding to it rather than being weighed down by it, and five goals after such a difficult start provide some evidence to support his assessment.
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