The big Everton talking points following Everton's 4-0 win at Preston North End in the Carabao Cup
PRESTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 26: Brennan Johnson of Everton scores his team’s fourth goal during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Preston North End and Everton at Deepdale on August 26, 2026 in Preston, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Brennan Johnson rounds off the scoring in Everton's 4-0 Carabao Cup win at Preston North End (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
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It didn’t take long for the chants to start and the smile on Brennan Johnson's face that followed told the story. He’d only been on for a matter of minutes when he helped set up Thierno Barry for his hat-trick.
A couple of minutes later, Barry turned provider as Johnson scored his first Everton goal, finishing smartly after collecting the striker’s pass.
The finish put the icing on the cake for David Moyes and his players, who produced a performance that showed their Premier League class against their Championship opponents.
The Blues should have always had too much for this Preston side, but Evertonians know better than most that things don’t always play out as expected in cup competitions.
When Johnson entered the field after 64 minutes, he injected new life into the team, making the sort of impact supporters crave.
When news of Everton’s interest in the Wales international first broke, eyebrows were certainly raised, especially as many expected Jack Grealish to be the wide player the club brought in this summer after Tyrique George. Instead, Johnson arrived, and supporters, understandably, were perhaps sceptical about the deal.
But after his display on Saturday off the bench against his former club Crystal Palace and his performance here, the biggest compliment you can pay the 25-year-old is that he is pushing for a start already.
On the day Sunderland registered their interest in Grealish, it was also perhaps fitting that Johnson would have a say here.
Talk about the £100m Manchester City man returning to the Blues will continue until his future is resolved one way or another over the next six days, but after this game you start to wonder where he might fit in. That is not meant to be disrespectful to Grealish, who is an exceptional player, but Blues boss Moyes now has four wide players to choose from.
Moyes handed selection headache
Moyes looked like a satisfied man as he made his way around his post-match media duties. He wasn’t quite smiling ear to ear, but he was clearly pleased with what he had seen from his side as they set up a third-round tie against Wolves at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
However, with just 10 minutes gone on the clock, the Everton manager was anything but. A number of passes at the back resulted in the Blues going absolutely nowhere, and the Scot was soon out of his seat with his hands in the air in frustration.
But then James Garner got on the ball, and suddenly the visitors were moving forward, and moving forward at pace and looking to get in behind.
The club's Player of the Season was back in the starting line-up and back with a purpose, picking up where he left off last season.
PRESTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 26: James Garner of Everton is challenged by Leo Leroy of Preston North End during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Preston North End and Everton at Deepdale on August 26, 2026 in Preston, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
James Garner of Everton is challenged by Leo Leroy of Preston North End during the Carabao Cup match at Deepdale(Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
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Garner’s return was a surprise, as some expected him not to feature for a number of weeks after his summer operation, but here he was at Deepdale pulling the strings. In the end, he lasted 64 minutes before he was replaced, but in that time he showed just why he has become such a favourite with his manager and the club's supporters.
However, his performance has left Moyes with a selection headache heading into Saturday’s match at Bournemouth. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harrison Armstrong are undroppable right now; both were outstanding again here, but Hayden Hackney, missing with a minor knock, was brilliant against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
It would be harsh if Hackney was benched against the Cherries, but the reality is that Moyes has four midfielders competing for three positions, and that's even before Christian Norgaard returns.
Whether Garner has another start in him this weekend remains to be seen, but if he does, then someone is going to be left extremely disappointed.
O'Brien transfer speculation is only going to grow
Jake O’Brien has become Everton's Mr Dependable. The man who has filled the huge void at right-back over the last 18 months.
So when the news that the Blues would listen to offers for O’Brien ahead of the transfer window shutting next week, the disappointed reaction from fans was understandable.
Many of those fans however, would have expected to see the Republic of Ireland international in action against Preston. Some perhaps even thought the centre-back might get a run-out in his natural position.
But they were wrong, as Moyes opted to go with Michael Keane in place of the rested Jarrad Branthwaite, while Merlin Rohl kept his place on the right of the defence, and therefore perhaps showing why the club are prepared to consider bids for O'Brien, who joined for £17m from Lyon two years ago.
If Keane is the third-choice centre-back, and Moyes' starting line-up here suggests he is, then O’Brien himself might believe the time has come to test himself somewhere else.
Moyes played down not using the defender in his post-match press conference, insisting he will get game time soon.
But the fact of the matter is, transfer speculation involving O’Brien is now only going to grow between now and the window closing on Tuesday.