Season › 2023-24 › In The Wings

Everton Under-21s, 2023-24

[History of Everton Reserves]

Everton's Under-21s largely represent the end product of the once renowned Everton Academy at Finch Farm which is a Category A Elite Development entity under the current Premier League/FA rules and has produced a number of lower-league players who have proved unable to break into the Blues' first team. Since 2016, they play in the FA Premier League 2, which adopts a new format for the 2023-24 season.

As well as the U21s competing in the Premier League Cup and the Premier League International Cup, Everton are also one of the Premier League Development sides that enter U21 teams into the Papa John's (ne EFL) Trophy against the senior sides from Football League One and League Two.

· Results & Fixtures	A record of Everton's Under-21 matches for the season
· League Table	Current standings in Premier League 2
· Match Details	Teamsheets and brief reports for each match
· Appearances	A table of Under-21 appearances for all senior players
· Friendlies	Results from Under-21 friendly matches

Everton Under-21s will split their home matches between the 'Pure' Stadium at Haig Avenue in Southport and Goodison Park this season, with some games also being played at Walton Hall Park. 

Everton's games in the 2023-24 Liverpool Senior Cup  and Lancashire Senior Cup are contested by the Under-18s, together with the FA Youth Cup too.

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FIXTURES AND RESULTS, 2023-24

	Under-23 Competitive Games				All KOs are UK time
	Date	Opponent	Result		Scorers	Venue	Comp
	Mon 14 Aug	Liverpool (A)		0 - 4		Liverpool Academy	PL2: 1
	Fri 18 Aug	Middlesbrough (A)		2 - 2	Okoronkwo, Hunt	Heritage Park	PL2: 2
	Fri 25 Aug	Brighton (H)		0 - 4		Big Help Stadium	PL2: 3
	Fri 1 Sep	West Ham Utd (A)		1 - 3	Kouyate	Rush Green, Romford	PL2: 4
	Tue 19 Sep	Doncaster Rvrs (A)		0 - 2		Eco Power Stadium	EFL:H1
	Fri 22 Sep	Norwich City (H)		2 - 1		Walton Hall Park	PL2: 5
	Tue 26 Sep	Burton Albion (A)		0 - 2		Pirelli Stadium	EFL:H2
	Fri 29 Sep	Arsenal (H)		1 - 1		Big Help Stadium	PL2: 6
	Sun 29 Oct	Newcastle Utd (A)				Newcastle Utd Academy	PL2: 7
	Tue 7 Nov	Mansfield Town (A)					EFL:H3

	U23 Pre-Season Friendlies				All KOs are UK time
	Date	Opponent	Result		Scorers	Venue	Notes
	Sat 22 Jul	Forest Green (A)		0 - 1		Att:	F

F denotes Friendly fixture
TF denotes Friendly tournament fixture
XI denotes Friendly fixture involving an Everton XI (not necessarily the first team)
PL2 denotes Premier League 2 fixtures
PLC denotes Premier League Cup fixtures
PLIC denotes Premier League International Cup fixtures
PJT denotes EFL Trophy fixtures

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FA PREMIER LEAGUE 2, 2023-24

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Manchester City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	West Ham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Arsenal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Manchester United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Liverpool	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Leicester City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	Tottenham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
8	Crystal Palace	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Brighton & Hove Albion	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Blackburn Rovers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	Everton	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	Leeds United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
13	Chelsea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
14	Derby County	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

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Under-21 Match Details, 2023-24

The section below contains team details, scorers, and brief match reports for Everton Under-21 matches during the 2023-24 Season.

Premier League 2

Starting in 2017-18, the U21 Premier League (which itself replaced the old Reserves league that stretched back to an age that pre-dated the formation of the Football League in 1888) was renamed Premier League 2. The latest changes for the new season see teams from the newly constituted 20-team PL2 only play each other once, either at home or away, based on a complicated draw. The top 16 teams go forward to a playoff stage, with the winner determined in the playoff final. There is no relegation from PL 2. Each team can field a goalkeeper over the age limit and up to three ‘over-age’ outfield players in every match.

2023-24 Format

Arsenal	Manchester United
Aston Villa	Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers	Newcastle United
Brighton & Hove Albion	Norwich City
Chelsea	Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace	Reading
Derby County	Stoke City
Everton	Southampton
Fulham	Sunderland
Leeds United	Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester City	West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool	West Ham Utd
Manchester City	Wolverhampton Wanderers

 

The Average Age of PL2 squads in the 2023-24 season, as listed at Transfermarkt were:

Club	Squad	Average	Foreign
Newcastle United U23	21	20	6
Blackburn Rovers U23	16	19.8	4
Nottingham Forest U23	16	19.8	8
Sunderland AFC U23	16	19.8	1
Derby County U23	17	19.7	2
Manchester United U23	19	19.7	12
Middlesbrough FC U23	23	19.7	8
West Ham United U23	22	19.7	7
Stoke City U23	16	19.6	8
Birmingham City U23	18	19.5	3
Southampton FC B	19	19.5	1
Burnley FC U23	22	19.4	5
Tottenham Hotspur U23	21	19.4	9
Wolverhampton Wanderers U23	21	19.4	13
Arsenal FC U23	25	19.3	11
Brighton & Hove Albion U23	21	19.3	12
Everton FC U23	24	19.3	10
Crystal Palace U23	17	19.2	5
Fulham FC U23	16	19.2	9
Leicester City U23	18	19.2	10
Norwich City U23	15	19.2	8
Leeds United U23	17	19.1	7
West Bromwich Albion U23	15	19.1	3
Aston Villa U23	21	19	7
Liverpool FC U23	20	19	6

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Liverpool 4 - 0 Everton

Premier League 2; Game #1
Monday 14 August 2023
Liverpool Academy, Kirkby

Everton U21s opened the newly configured Premier League 2 season with a short trip to Kirkby where they suffered a heavy defeat to Liverpool U21s tonight.

The match kicked off at 7 pm and is set to be the only mini-derby encounter of the season unless they meet in the PL2 playoffs or in the Premier League Cup.

Paul Tait has not had all of his squad to work with over the summer months, with some players training with Sean Dyche’s Senior Team while Stanley Mills, Reece Welch, Lewis Warrington, Harry Tryer and Zan-Luk Leban have all secured loan spells for the 2023-24 season.

Tonight was the first game of highly-rated young striker Malik Mothersille. He came on as a sub for Matthew Apter, with Everton trailing by 2 goals after the break. 

The match ended with the home side scoring another two goals and inflicting a heavy defeat with all three Everton teams losing their first games of the new season.

Everton U21s: Crellin, Dixon, Butler (71' Maher), Moonan, Samuels-Smith, Metcalfe, Heath [Y:57'] (66' Djankpata), Paterson (56' Bates), Okoronkwo [Y:69'], Apter [Y:45+4'] (66' Mothersille), Kouyate. 
Subs not Used: Barrett.

Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Everton

Premier League 2; Game #2
Friday 18 August 2023
Heritage Park, Stockton-on-Tees

Everton U21s travel to Teeside tonight to take on Middlesbrough in their second game of the new Premier League 2 season: kick-off at 7 pm. 

A substantial number of U21 players listed by the club did not participate in last week's heavy defeat by Liverpool, which saw a relatively young squad put to the sword. It is possible that a number of these are being lined up for loan moves that will further deplete the resources available to Paul Tait. 

Chelsea triallist Malik Mothersille is once again in the squad but only starts on the bench again after coming on as a sub in the mini-derby to defeat to Liverpool on Monday evening.

After going behind to two goals in the first half, Everton fought to get back into the match, pulling a goal back when Metcalfe found Okoronkwo who glanced home his header.

Mothersille replaced Jack Butler before Mackenzie Hunt equalized for Everton in added time. 

Everton: Barrett, Dixon, Hunt, Astley, Moonan, Metcalfe, Djankpata [Y:56'] (58' Heath), Apter [Y:23'], Okoronkwo, Kouyate, Butler (74' Mothersille).
Subs not Used: Graham, O Samuels-Smith, J Patterson.

Everton 0 - 4 Brighton

Premier League 2; Game #3
Friday 25 August 2023
Haig Avenue, Southport

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Everton fell behind after a poor clearance was punished 5 minutes before the break. But they went further behind 5 minutes after the break.

The Chelsea trialist Malik Mothersille again came off the bench in the second half. But two more goals conceded after he came on underlined a dismal first home game of what is already looking like a difficult season for Paul Tai's youngsters.

Everton U21s: Barrett, Dixon, Hunt, Moonan, Astley, Butterfield (48' Apter), Heath [Y:26'], Metcalfe [Y:90+2'], Okoronkwo, Djankpata [Y:2'] (65' Mothersille), Kouyate (84' J Paterson).
Subs not Used: Graham, Butler.

West Ham Utd 3 - 1 Everton

Premier League 2; Game #4
Friday 1 September 2023
Rush Green Stadium, Romford

No Malik Mothersille in the squad tonight – the trialist from Chelsea will not be signing for Everton – and only four players on the bench. 

Everton took the lead after just 7 minutes through Katia Kouyate, his first goal of the season.

But three goals for the home side did for the Young Blues in the end after Ryan Astley was shown a second yellow card.

Everton U21s: Crellin, Dixon, Moonan [Y:51'], Butler (81' O Samuels-Smith), Astley [Y:38';YR:66'], Hunt, Butterfield (73' Apter), Metcalfe, Okoronkwo, Kouyate (65' Djankpata [Y:69']), Heath.
Subs not Used: Barrett.

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Premier League International Cup, 2023-24

2014-15 saw the introduction of The Premier League International Cup. The tournament was cancelled last season because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and did not take place this season.

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Premier League Cup, 2023-24

The 2021-22 Premier League Cup is the eighth campaign of the knockout cup competition following the launch of EPPP. Everton are the defending champions after the tournament was cancelled in 2019-20 and spent 2020-21 on hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Premier League Cup is contested initially in 4-team groups of Category A Development sides, playing home and away.  The top two teams from each of the eight groups progress to the knockout stages, with one-off ties from the last 16 through to the final to determine the champions.​   Everton U21s were drawn against Burnley, Peterborough and Sheffield United in Group D of the Premier League Cup for 2021-22.

Everton 1 - 3 Sheffield United

Premier League Cup; Group D, Game #1
Friday 17 September 2021
Haig Avenue, Southport

David Unsworth's side started well and scored in the 9th minute when Rhys Hughes delivered a corner from the right and Lewis Dobbin reacted quickly to flick the ball into the net at the near post for his first competitive goal for the Under-21s.

But this enlivened the visitors who would go on to score two goals in the first half and add a third right after the break.

Everton U23s: Leban, Mallon, Hunt [Y:78'], Astley, Welch, Anderson, Hughes, Warrington, Dobbin, McAllister, Cannon.
Subs not Used: Barrett, Butterfield, Price, Whitaker, Campbell.

 

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EFL Papa John's Trophy, 2021-22

Everton U21s were drawn against Burton Albion (League One) with Doncaster Rovers and Mansfield Town (League Two) in North Group H of the EFL Trophy for 2023-24.

Doncaster Rovers 2 - 0 Everton U21s

EFL Trophy; Group H, Game #1
Tuesday 19 September 2023
Mazuma Stadium, Morecambe

Paul Tait gave an indication that Eli Campbell would be back in for the first time this season after returning from injury.

It was boys against men but Everton held their own for most of the first half, suffering a few scares. They gave away a soft goal in the second half when the ball screwed off Moonan's foot into the path of a Doncaster forward. Before the end, the Blues were cut apart on a short-corner routine for Doncaster's second goal.  

Everton U21s:  Crellin, Dixon, Moonan, Campbell (70' Apter), Hunt, Butterfield (70' Bates), Kouyate, Heath (61' J Patterson), Djankpata (70' Butler), Metcalfe, Okoronkwo (61' Sherif).
Subs not Used: Barrett, O Samuels-Smith.

 

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Under-21 Appearances, 2023-24

Player	League Apps (Sub)	League Goals	Cup Apps (Sub)	Cup Goals
Isaac Price	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Reece Welch	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Ryan Astley	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Stan Mills	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Kyle John	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Harry Tyrer	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Tom Cannon	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Lewis Dobbin	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Joe Anderson	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Eli Campbell	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Charlie Whitaker	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Rhys Hughes	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Luke Butterfield	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Lewis Warrington	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Tyler Onyango	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Mackenzie Hunt	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Sebastian Quirk	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Sean McAllister	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Zan-Luk Leban	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Ellis Simms	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jarrad Branthwaite	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Emilio Lawrence	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jack Barrett	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Billy Crellin	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Rafael Garcia	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Katia Kouyate	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Sebastian Kristensen	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jonjoe Kenny	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Francis Okoronkwo	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Liam Higgins	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jenson Metcalfe	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Martin Sherif	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Harry Hagan	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Ed Jones	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jean-Philippe Gbamin	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Mathew Mallon	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Moise Kean	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Beni Baningime	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Nathangelo Markelo	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Einar Iversen	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Joao Virginia	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Roman Quintyne	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jak Stewart	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Pat Nash	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Thierry Small	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Nathan Broadhead	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0

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2023-24 Friendlies

Everton 0 - 2 Warrington Rylands

Pre-season friendly; Game #1
Tuesday 13 July 2021
Finch Farm

Everton U21s began their pre-season friendlies with a win over Warrington Rylands at Finch Farm this evening, and a hat-trick from Lewis Dobbin.

After having a spell of training in Rafael Benitez's first-team squad last week - including an outing at the weekend in a 3-0 practice match win against Accrington Stanley - Dobbin was the star of this first pre-season friendly with a first-half hat-trick.

Dobbin scored the opening goal on 13 minutes when he intercepted a poor back pass and slotted a neat finish past the keeper. The second goal came on 20 minutes when Tom Cannon - who was on target in Everton's win against Accrington - headed home from close range after an effort from Stanley Mills had been saved.

Just after the half-hour, Dobbin ran on to a superb through pass from Luke Butterfield before rounding the keeper. And then, on 36 minutes, he dribbled his way through the Rylands defence before placing a shot past the keeper.

Everton's best effort of the second half came right at the end when Cannon forced a save after being teed up by Mills.