Everton will face newly-promoted Leeds United in their Premier League 2025/26 campaign opener at Elland Road.

David Moyes’ side has seen a massive squad overhaul this summer. After letting nearly a dozen players leave, the Toffees have roped in seven players so far, including Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City.

While Moyes is hoping to add more players to the squad before the transfer window closes, he has expressed delight at the players that they’ve acquired in the pre-match press conference at Finch Farm.

Ahead of the Blues’ trip to Yorkshire to take on Leeds United, here are some of the major talking points:

Still no right winger in the team

With barely 30 hours to go before Everton kick off a new Premier League campaign away against Leeds United, David Moyes still doesn’t have a right winger to count on in his squad.

He’s seen a plethora of fast and exciting young wingers getting linked with the club this summer, including the likes of Takefusa Kubo, Francisco Conceicao, Johan Bakayoko, Ben Doak, Abdul Fatawu, and most notably, Tyler Dibling, but the Blues have failed to get any of those deals over the line.

The addition of one or more right-wingers is seen as a critical priority to complete the squad but it seems like Moyes will have to make do without one in the opening fixture. 

During the pre-season, he has tried the likes of Charly Alcaraz, Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye in that role, but none of them are suited to playing on the right on a consistent basis.

Players need to shake off pre-season cobwebs

Everton are arriving into this game on the back of a less-than-desirable pre-season campaign. The side struggled for results and a 2-1 win over Port Vale behind closed doors was their only success in seven games.

Players took a long time to shake off their rustiness after the summer break and also looked prone to making mistakes. Jake O’Brien, Mark Travers and Nathan Patterson were guilty of giving away goals cheaply during the Premier League Summer Series in the United States, while Iliman Ndiaye and Thierno Barry missed their scoring shoes in the recent friendly against AS Roma.

The Blues can’t afford similar mistakes going forward now that the season is officially underway.

Branthwaite misses out, Mykolenko might be available

Jarrad Branthwaite is set to miss Everton’s season opener against Leeds United after picking up an injury in training this week. "Jarrad picked up an injury in training so unfortunately, we are going to miss him. These things happen,” Moyes said in the pre-match press conference.

The star centre-back had also missed a chunk of the pre-season games in the US after picking up a niggle against Blackburn Rovers and ended last season with a groin injury.

When asked whether he will have Mykolenko, Armstrong and Patterson – who all missed out against Roma – Moyes added, “We may have.”

Vitalii Mykolenko had to limp off the pitch after suffering an injury 10 minutes into the friendly against Roma at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, while Nathan Patterson has suffered from hernia-like symptoms recently.

First glimpse of Jack Grealish in an Everton shirt?

Will we see Jack Grealish against Leeds United? The question was asked by the reporters in the pre-match press conference, to which Moyes joked, “He looks the same, big calves.

“You need to turn up and find out [whether he starts]. That’s what everyone needs to do.”

Signed from Manchester City on loan earlier this week, Grealish is the biggest of six new names that have joined Everton this summer. 

A Champions League and a multiple-time Premier League winner, there’s a buzz around the club since his signing, given the player’s obvious talents. Whether he manages to revive his career here after a couple of forgettable years at City, though, remains the glaring question.

Reader Comments (11)

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Scott Hamilton
1 Posted 15/08/2025 at 23:00:13
So, let’s have a reality check.

I’ll happily take a draw at Elland Road. That’s not defeatist, I’m just being realistic. A newly promoted team, pressing hard, against an Everton team that, at that point, won’t have gelled.

Come 24th at The Hill Dick though, I expect 3-1 to The Mighty Blues™ and the real start of our 2025-26 PL campaign to begin.

UTFT! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

Andrew Clare
2 Posted 16/08/2025 at 11:09:49
As usual, we are not fully prepared for the new season. It’s very frustrating. Hopefully our three major new signings will star in Monday's match. That’s if they all feature.

Leeds are bound to put heavy pressure on us from the word go. Hopefully we will ride the storm and stay composed.

Ajay Gopal
3 Posted 16/08/2025 at 14:40:49
I think Mykolenko will play, judging by the way Moyes tried to act coy about it. KDH I think will start. To start with Grealish may be too bold for Moyes, I expect him to come on in the second half.

My predicted starting XI: (4-3-3)

Pickford

O’Brien Tarkowski Keane Mykolenko (/Aznou)

Garner Dewsbury-Hall Gueye

McNeil Beto Ndiaye

Subs: Travers, Aznou, Coleman, Iroegbunam, Grealish, Alcaraz, Barry, Chermiti, Armstrong

Should be an interesting game, and the outcome would come down to who has the more clinical finisher.

Robert Tressell
4 Posted 16/08/2025 at 14:56:16
Surely Grealish will start? Not sure why that would be in doubt.

If everyone is fit for Leeds they will probs use a 4231 like this:

F. DCL
LW: Ramazani
RW: Gnonto
AM: Aaronson
CM: Tanaka
DCM: Stach
LW: Gudmundsson
RB: Bogle
CB: Ampadu
CB: Bijol
Gk: Meslier

In terms of how we shape up, Pickford is clearly better than Meslier. The respective back fours are evenly matched. The central midfields are close too. We have better quality wide(ish) in Ndiaye and Grealish although Gnonto and Ramazani can be dangerous. Beto v DCL has been done many times on here. Let’s just say they are close.

So our real difference makers as they will be throughout the season are Pickford, Branthwaite (unavailable for this one), Ndiaye and Grealish.

I hope we go there set up for a win.

Kevin Molloy
5 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:01:40
I'm not sure why you think he's an automatic starter Robert. He's only started one game in the Prem all year, and that was nearly 8 months ago. And he's had no pre season games.
Ryan Holroyd
6 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:09:39
Looking at these line ups, our team is absolutely garbage. If Robert is right and our defensive and our midfield played are evenly matched with a promotion team.

I don’t get our recruitment at whatsoever. No goals again.

Another bottom half finish coming up.

James Marshall
7 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:10:09
I reckon Grealish starts as well. He's the best player at the club so he plays every week in my view.

You want to get match fit, play football matches.

Scott Hamilton
8 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:12:42
Richarlison just scored for Spurs.

David Hallwood
9 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:16:33
Branthwaite's injury record is causing some concern, let's hope its 'young player still growing' rather than something long term. Let's hope he doesn't turn into Ledley King.
Liam Mogan
10 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:17:54
Not sure I agree that Leeds are evenly matched up to us?

I work in Leeds and a lot of fans I talk to say they have very few of PL standard in their squad.

Danny O'Neill
11 Posted 16/08/2025 at 15:21:01
In the absence of the obvious needed signings, we have enough to cover midfield, including the right.

The interesting thing will be what the manager decides with the full back positions. Unless he goes with a back 3.

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