**Everton produced a commanding attacking display in their 4-0 demolition of Preston, demonstrating just how potent David Moyes’ frontline can be when all fully fit and operating with hunger, pace and purpose.**
After building some decent momentum through pre-season, the Toffees translated their dominance in possession into numbers on the board, racking up 29 shots, a massive 3.9 expected goals (xG), and restricting their opponents to just one effort on target.
As part of their Carabao Cup journey, one of the key [tactical lessons learned from the game](https://readeverton.com/everton-news-preston-north-end-preview-moyes/) was that Moyes’ men demonstrated that the Everton attack is finally brimming with options.
Thierno Barry was the undisputed focal point of the evening, becoming the first player to bag a hat-trick for Everton since Dominic Calvert-Lewin achieved the feat in 2020.
The 23-year-old Frenchman showed good anticipation, dispatching all three finishes directly from the width of the goal. Barry also added an assist after pressing aggressively to win back possession and release Brennan Johnson.
With Beto reportedly attracting outside interest, Barry’s complete display cemented his place as the first-choice centre-forward at the Hill Dickinson. His good movement and infectious enthusiasm have injected fresh belief into Moyes’ attacking unit.
Replacing Dwight McNeil, Johnson made an immediate impact from the bench by stretching the Preston defence. The Wales international exploited tired legs with his direct runs in behind the backline, an essential dynamic that Everton have missed in previous campaigns.
Johnson supplied an assist before converting Barry’s pass to cap the scoring and end a 33-game scoring drought. His ability to break defensive lines through his pure pace gives Moyes an indispensable alternative when in transition.
Moyes resisted the temptation to rest key starters, opting even to name Jordan Pickford in goal rather than hand Mark Travers a start.
That selection set a high standard from the opening whistle, ensuring Everton never allowed Preston a foothold in the game.
The manager’s decision to avoid sweeping changes paid off across the pitch. Dominating territory and dictating tempo with total control allowed the Toffees to sustain wave after wave of attack, generating relentless chances and overwhelming PNE.
Despite what felt like an almost complete display, one notable talking point emerged from the Everton bench.
Moyes had previously mentioned Jake O’Brien as a candidate to feature in this tie, yet the Irish centre-back remained an unused substitute throughout the 90+ minutes.
Whether O’Brien currently sits behind the established central defensive options or was preserved amid transfer window speculation remains uncertain.
Nevertheless, keeping him on the sidelines denied him valuable minutes to stake a claim in his preferred role.
Everton now prepare to host Wolves in the third round of the competition. Moyes and his squad will remember the disappointment of being eliminated at this exact stage at Molineux last year after some excessive squad rotation proved very costly.
With Barry finding his stride and Johnson providing a direct threat, Everton enter the next round with some attacking momentum that can hopefully lead to a meaningful Carabao Cup run.