David Moyes was speaking to preview Everton's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday night
David Moyes speaking to the media on Monday afternoon
David Moyes speaking to the media on Monday afternoon
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David Moyes has taken issue with the Premier League’s scheduling of Everton’s game against Bournemouth. The Blues host Andoni Iraola’s side at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday night (7.30pm).
However, with both Everton and Bournemouth without a game this weekend due to already being knocked out of the FA Cup, and the two teams having both played on Saturday, Moyes believes they should have been afforded an extra day’s rest and the game should have been played 24 hours later on Wednesday.
He said: “I was just talking to Andy on the way down here, our press officer. I wonder why, and there is no real reason why this game couldn’t have been on Wednesday.
"Bournemouth are out of the cup and we are out of the cup. We understand it is a midweek fixture, but we are all getting squeezed in on Tuesday for this one.
“I think sometimes we find some of the decisions of how it comes about very difficult; maybe the number of games and teams played Sunday so they can’t play Tuesday.
“But look, it is the same for both us and Bournemouth. There is no advantage for either team or disadvantage; it just feels it could have easily been a day later for both teams.”
Everton head into the match on the back of a 2-1 victory over Fulham at the weekend and Moyes revealed that Jarrad Branthwaite is in contention to start on Tuesday night after dropping to the bench for the game against Marco Silva’s side. Tyrique George, a deadline day loan signing from Chelsea, could make his home debut.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George celebrate Everton's winner against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 7 February 2026
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George celebrate Everton's winner against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 7 February 2026(Image: Dylan Hepworth/Every Second Media/SmartFrame)
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"I think apart from Jack Grealish, I think everybody is fit,” the Scot revealed. “We're still nursing one or two – obviously, [with] Jarrad Branthwaite, we're trying to just gauge the minutes he can play at the moment because he's coming back from injury... Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Charly Alcaraz as well.
"We've had a bundle of players who've been out injured, but they're all back training, they're all fit. You've seen that with them playing some games and being on the bench."
George joined the Blues on loan for the rest of the season from Chelsea on transfer deadline day and made his debut off the bench against the Cottagers.
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"I am [excited about what he can bring],” Moyes replied when asked about the England Under-21 international. “I've seen bits of him which I like, but, again, he's a young player.
“It's not as if we're getting a Jack Grealish in, someone who's played three or four hundred games and knows how to play in the big occasions.
"He's still a young boy, so we've got to be careful that we don't expect too much from him. He's someone who still needs to get used to the players and the club, but from what he is showing at the moment, we've been quite impressed by him."
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