Guardian writers’ predicted position: 14th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 15th
Prospects
An emotional season awaits as Everton say a long goodbye to Goodison Park, their cherished home for 132 years, but the club will hope for a fresh start before relocating to a stunning new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. That hope centres on Sean Dyche’s ability to withstand a host of off-field curveballs while hauling his team in the right direction.
Progress has been incremental, painful at times, and Everton are by no means clear of the financial and ownership problems that have plagued them for too long under the hapless Farhad Moshiri. But that the team have made progress at all is testament to the fine work of Dyche and the director of football, Kevin Thelwell.
Dyche described last season as his toughest in management and Premier League survival, secured with three matches to spare, his biggest achievement after a campaign in which Everton were docked eight points for two separate breaches of financial rules. His team would have finished 12th, below Brighton on goal difference, but for the punishments that threatened to derail them and consigned them to 15th place. Mid-table would have provided an accurate gauge of the improvement made by a team in serious relegation trouble in the previous two seasons. Dyche will regard 12th as a benchmark.
Everton have been decisive in the transfer market and by recruiting Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrøm have sought to improve their efficiency and versatility up front. It is desperately needed. The uncertainty over Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future, with the centre-forward in the final year of his contract and resisting the offer of an extension, needs resolving, however. The alternatives to Calvert-Lewin are unproven, although Everton’s determination to keep Jarrad Branthwaite amid interest from Manchester United offers continued solidity at the back.
The manager
Sean Dyche’s playing style will not win plaudits for artistic merit but there was widespread admiration, and immense gratitude among the Everton fanbase, for how he steered the team and the club through a series of crises last season. He proved to be the right man, in the right place, at the right time. There were fears Dyche would not be able to stop Everton’s tailspin towards relegation when presiding over a club record of 13 Premier League games without a win. But a resilient team recovered from what the manager claimed was the psychological blow of an initial and unprecedented 10-point deduction to win their final five home games. It was an impressive finale with the added bonus of a clean sheet in each.
Off-field picture
Uncertain and worrying, as per. Hopes of a stable and more sensible era under the Friedkin Group were dashed last month when the American company pulled out of a proposed takeover owing to concerns over the £200m loaned to Everton by 777 Partners, ludicrously Moshiri’s preferred buyer for his 94.1% shareholding. It is back to square one on the takeover and, while Everton’s finances are secure in the short term, they could be in serious trouble during the season unless Moshiri finds a buyer. The threat of another points deduction has not vanished. A dispute between Everton and the Premier League over almost £17m in stadium interest payments – part of the club’s second breach of profitability and sustainability rules – remains unresolved. No date has been announced for the hearing. The club have also recorded total losses of £133.8m over the past two financial years.
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Breakout star
It looked a strange move last summer when, with money extremely tight, Everton agreed a deal worth up to £15m for an inexperienced, teenage forward from Sporting. One Premier League start and no goals from 20 first-team outings did nothing to allay those doubts about Youssef Chermiti. Dyche made it clear from the start, however, that the Portugal Under-21 international was one for the future and last season was a bedding-in process for a forward who was not physically ready for the Premier League. Chermiti bulked up this summer and looked sharp in pre-season before sustaining a foot injury that will sideline him for some time. But with doubts over Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future and Beto’s pedigree, the 20-year-old should get more opportunities to justify Everton’s faith.
The A-lister
It has been said so often during international tournaments it has become a cliche – and a completely inaccurate one – that Jordan Pickford is more appreciated by country than club. This would be the same Jordan Pickford who Everton fans have voted Everton’s player of the season three years running. The 30-year-old’s outstanding form at Euro 2024, where he confirmed his status as England’s undisputed No 1 yet again, continued the level he displayed throughout last season when keeping 13 Premier League clean sheets. Only Arsenal’s David Raya, operating behind a far more dominant, front-footed side, kept more. Pickford has played a pivotal role in preserving Everton’s top-flight status in recent years and is key to their ambitions to push on.
What they did this summer
Branthwaite has had a testing summer for reasons beyond his control. Having been named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 31-man England squad for the Euros he was surprisingly omitted from the final selection, despite the manager’s problems on the left of defence. He has been the subject of two cut-price bids from Manchester United – £35m plus £10m in add-ons then £45m plus £5m in add-ons – and has missed most of pre-season due to injury. Everton’s resolve to keep Branthwaite, who formed a commanding partnership with James Tarkowski last season, was not tested by United’s offers. The player has not kicked up a fuss to leave, contrary to some reports, and Dyche will be desperately hoping that remains the case with the grounded 22-year-old beyond the transfer deadline.
Source: theguardian.com
