Everton’s start to the 2025/26 Premier League season represents real progress from the struggles of a year ago.
Under David Moyes, the team look organised, disciplined, and defensively assured – all traits synonymous with the manager’s previous successes at Goodison Park.
The Toffees currently sit eighth in the table with eleven points and three wins, including impressive results against Wolves and Brighton, and a dramatic 3–2 victory over Crystal Palace, sealed by Jack Grealish’s 93rd-minute winner.
The transformation has been built on structure rather than spectacle.
Everton’s back line, anchored by James Tarkowski, has provided stability, while Moyes’ midfield – led by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish – has found the right balance between energy and control.
Yet up front, things haven’t fully clicked.
Moyes has alternated between Thierno Barry and Beto as his leading striker, searching for someone who can make the No.9 position their own.
Both have shown flashes of quality without sustaining it, and that inconsistency has left the door open for others to stake a claim.
Why Barry and Beto aren't thriving at Everton
When Everton secured Barry’s signature from Villarreal for £27.6m in the summer, it was seen as a statement of intent.
Statistically, Barry looks every inch a modern forward.
He ranks in the 87th percentile for aerials won (3.84 per 90) as per FBref, and wins nearly two-thirds of his aerial duels inside the penalty area, a level of dominance bettered last season only by Alexander Sørloth and teammate Tarkowski.
His data profile also points to mobility and technical skill: ranking in the 74th percentile for progressive carries (1.70 per 90) and 62nd percentile for successful take-ons (0.77).
In short, he’s more than just a target man – capable of stretching defences and driving into space, while offering a focal point for crosses and second balls.
However, the Premier League’s pace and physical demands require adaptation.
Moyes has already urged patience, suggesting the striker will need time to adjust to the league’s intensity.
That was evident in the Crystal Palace match, where Barry was substituted at half-time for Beto despite working tirelessly across the first 45 minutes.
Beto, meanwhile, offers experience and physical presence but has yet to convince as the long-term solution.
The Portuguese forward remains a useful option off the bench – capable of occupying defenders and pressing from the front – but Everton’s system under Moyes demands more subtlety and movement than he naturally provides.
With neither striker truly staking a claim, questions remain about where the goals will come from over a long campaign.
Everton's homegrown striking solution
If Everton’s current strikers represent the present, Omari Benjamin could represent the future.
The 19-year-old Welsh forward, who joined the club from Arsenal’s academy, has quickly established himself as one of the most promising players in Everton’s youth setup.
Having represented Wales at every level from U16 to U21, Benjamin is already used to high-performance environments – and his numbers suggest he is ready for more.
Last season, he finished as Everton U21’s top scorer with eight goals in 18 Premier League 2 games.
He also wrote his name into youth derby folklore by scoring both goals in a 2–0 away win against Liverpool, a display that underlined his instinctive finishing and big-game temperament.
This season, Benjamin has continued that upward trajectory.
In six appearances across all youth competitions, he has two goals and one assist in Premier League 2 and has contributed a goal and an assist in two EFL Trophy matches.
He combines athleticism and acceleration with a composed final touch, often manoeuvring in tight spaces thanks to his close control in the box.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Whether used as a central striker or drifting in from the left wing, his awareness of space and timing of runs make him a natural fit for a Moyes team that thrives on structure and sharp transitions.
Benjamin has already earned recognition from respected youth analyst Jeorge Bird, who described him as a “good prospect” and “prolific.”
Matches Played
23
Starts
19
Minutes Played
1,757
Goals
11
Assists
1
His early career includes a hat-trick on his Arsenal youth debut and another treble later against Tottenham’s academy, underlining his knack for delivering in key moments.
Though yet to make a competitive first-team appearance, Benjamin has featured regularly in senior training sessions and could soon be included in matchday squads — particularly if Everton’s senior strikers continue to misfire.
For Moyes, integrating the young forward gradually could provide both cover and competition, while rewarding the club’s commitment to developing homegrown talent.
