David Moyes on Everton's Thin Squad and Player Opportunities

David Moyes did not bother dressing it up. Everton’s summer ended in a mess, the squad is thin, and the Premier League schedule will not wait.

But he sees an opening.

The Everton manager admitted his options have been stripped back after a chaotic final stretch of the transfer window that saw Beto, Adam Aznou, Nathan Patterson, Iliman Ndiaye and Tim Iroegbunam all leave in the closing days. Those exits have left the Toffees light in key areas and heavily exposed if injuries bite.

Everton did manage to bring in Jack Grealish on loan and add Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Lyon, but a failed move for Folarin Balogun underlined just how badly the end of the club’s summer business unravelled.

The numbers tell the story. Everton have named only 19 senior players in their 25-man Premier League squad. Three more first-team options – Harrison Armstrong, Tyrique George and Tyler Dibling – have been registered on the under-21 list to help plug the gaps.

Pre-Match Press Conference

Ahead of facing Manchester United, Moyes sat down for his pre-match press conference and laid out the reality. This will be a season for improvisation.

“I know what I needed and I know what it’s like to build a squad for the Premier League,” he said. “I know the numbers you need. I’ve been around long enough to know that, but some things went against us and some things could have gone better. Ultimately, we didn’t want to lose a lot of the players, but for different reasons that had to happen.”

The departures have forced a reset. Established names will have to shoulder heavier workloads. Others, who have spent recent months on the periphery, are about to be dragged into the spotlight.

“They’re all going to have to be able to muck in as we’ve got a real small squad now,” Moyes continued. “It gives opportunities to some people who have not had them and sometimes in football you need to be given that chance so that you can show what you can do.

“Let’s see if some of them can do that. I have no concerns. I am sure they will be fully at-it.”

So Everton head into a clash with Manchester United short on depth, long on jeopardy and with a manager ready to lean on players who, until now, have been little more than squad numbers. The question is no longer who left in August.

It is who steps up in September.