David Moyes spoke about the fitness of four players during Wednesday’s press conference. Credit: Getty.placeholder image
David Moyes spoke about the fitness of four players during Wednesday’s press conference. Credit: Getty. | Getty Images
Everton return to Premier League action to face Brighton and David Moyes has given an update on the latest team news.
The start of a new era for Everton hasn’t quite gone to plan over the summer with new players proving difficult to attract to the new stadium.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium is going to be resplendent for its first competitive fixture even if the first XI players to represent the club on its opening might not be quite as memorable as that of high dominated the English game in the 1980s. After the controversial loss to Leeds Utd, the choice of VAR assistant might not go down well with Everton and one player in particular.
David Moyes issues Everton injury update
David Moyes deserves his moment though as one of the club’s finest managers and he will have to work minor miracles again in the short term if he is to drag Everton up the table given the resources that he is working with. Unfortunately for the Toffees boss the injury list isn’t improving as quickly as he would want with Moyes giving an update on the potential team news for the visit of Brighton via the club’s official website.
“Summer signing Aznou – a 19-year-old Morocco international – faces a late fitness check, but manager David Moyes will continue to be without Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson.
“Speaking in Friday's pre-match press conference, Moyes said: ‘Jarrad is on the way but not fit, neither is Mykolenko – and Nathan Patterson is not fit, either. Aznou has trained today for the first time, so we'll see how he goes.’”
Reading between the lines, the defensive quartet are back training but not fit enough to be considered for any part of the opening fixture at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton. What it also does is, again, highlight how important it is for Moyes to be given the depth that he needs to compete at the level that the club and the veteran boss wants to. The defence, despite the injuries, hasn’t really been the problem and Everton will be hoping to get the quality that they need in the forward line signed before the transfer window closes with Tyler Dibling still a target.
Who could be key for Everton as Moyes looks to strengthen?
A club like Everton needs a talisman and Jack Grealish could be exactly what Moyes needs to gel his team together. Not only does the England international have a point to prove, but he also has the type of personality that lifts others around him.
Grealish barely got a kick last season at Man City, however, he was a key component in Pep Guardiola’s treble winning side, even if he maybe didn’t post the goals and assists that were probably expected after his £100m move from Aston Villa.
Now though, as he was at Villa, he is the main man. No longer just a cog in a wheel with a set of instructions to follow. Instead, the 29-year old will be given responsibility to lead a team with his actions on the pitch and inspire those around him to make a difference.
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