Everton started their cup play against Preston North End after the 40 mile drive down the M58 and up the M6. David Moyes ended his playing career at Preston and also started his managerial career before Everton came looking for someone to save them from the drop in 2002. A lot has happened since then but what has not changed is the fact that neither team have won silverware since then and today was another step in that journey. On a purely selfish note, I am heading home to Liverpool in September and would love to see a round three match with the Mighty Blues playing under the lights!
David Moyes went with a strong side to take on Preston. Jarrad Branthwaite and Hayden Hackney were given the night off with Michael Keane and James Garner taking their places. A big surprise to see O'Brien on the bench. Tyler Dibling was given another chance to shine on the right wing with Ndiaye moving to his favoured left.
Everton advanced to the third round of the Carabao Cup following a dominant victory over Preston North End, highlighted by a clinical hat-trick from Thierno Barry. After a closely contested first half, Everton pushed forward and eventually forced Preston into submission.
The match began with a warm reception for former manager David Moyes, which set a lively atmosphere that energized the travelling Evertonians. While Preston looked to sit back in a resilient low block and strike on the counter-attack through Delano Burgzorg and Adam Armstrong, Everton safely neutralized those early threats. The Toffees dictated the tempo through key involvements from Iliman Ndiaye, Tyler Dibling, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, despite initially struggling to breach Preston's crowded defensive line.
The deadlock was finally broken when Dewsbury-Hall lobbed a precise ball over the top to Vitaliy Mykolenko, who slid a low cross into the middle for Thierno Barry to tap past goalkeeper Nichols. The Evertonians were in full voice. "Oh, Tierno Barry, oh, Tierno Barry!"

#everton

Everton today confirmed their 2026/27 squad numbers for the upcoming season. It also made it official that Jarrad Branthwaite has switched to #4 and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has moved to #8 .
1 – Jordan Pickford
2 – Nathan Patterson
4 – Jarrad Branthwaite
5 – Michael Keane

#kiernan #dewsbury #pickford #patterson

Huddersfield Giants will play at Dewsbury Rams' Flair Stadium from next season.
The Giants made the announcement at half-time in their Super League fixture against Catalans Dragons at the Accu Stadium, which has been their home since 1994.
They let fans in for free to mark the occasion and hope the supporters will follow them the 10 miles to Dewsbury's 5,100-capacity stadium, despite the mixed reaction in the ground at the news.
Director Rebecca Jackson, who is the grand-daughter of owner Ken Davy, claimed the Giants will spend over £10m upgrading the Flair Stadium and said their ultimate aim is to return to a new home in Huddersfield.
Jackson told Sky Sports: "The Huddersfield Giants will be moving to the Dewsbury Flair Stadium for the medium term.

#flair #home

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We asked for your views on whether Iliman Ndiaye's "end product" makes him a player worth cashing in on.
Here are some of your comments:
Andy: Ndiaye is really the only player we have who gets fans out of their seats. He runs at defences and causes panic. He is great at winning the ball back in the opposition half. He links up well with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Could he score more? Yes, but as our forwards are no real threat, he gets double or triple-teamed regularly. I'd like him to stay, but since he won't sign a new contract I would reluctantly sell.
Stephen: £70m is far too low with the length left on his contract, we should be looking easy £100m.

#player #contract #kiernan

A few talking points on the starting lineup. The big news was a first start for Hayden Hackney. The other talking point for the team was the absence of Jarrad Branthwaite. It was reported that this was as part of his planned reintegration into the squad. Tyler Dibling and Mykolenko return and Jake O'Brien started on the bench. David Moyes was starting with his favourite 4-2-3-1 with Beto up top.
A lovely night in Stoke with Everton in their all blue kits. Everton were immediately on the front foot and a nice bit of interplay only broke down when Dewsbury-Hall ****** ed a ball into the box and it was easily handled by the Stoke keeper. Interestingly, it looked like Dibling was playing at right ack with Hackney in front of him.
An early corner was recycled by the Blues and when it fell to George, he laced a shot just narrowly wide of the post. A very good start from the boys in blue. Stoke tried to slow the game down and get on the ball but Everton were pressing high. When George intercepted a pass, his pass was slightly overhit for Dibling.
Everton went off the boil and some lax defending by Tarkowski allowed Gallagher in on Travers but a great leg save denied the home team. It was then Everton's turn to hold onto the ball. It was all a little scrappy. Beto did some fighting for the ball in the middle of the park with no end product. A nice ove down the right side saw Rohl deliver a nice cross but no one was there when the keeper spilled the ball.
The interplay on the left side between KDH and George was really good. However, Travers was the saviour again as Thomas drilled another shot on the goal. Everton were then hanging on as Stoke delivered cross after cross.

#stoke #george

The Everton players not involved with their national teams returned to Finch Farm to start their preseason fitness conditioning and training on Friday. Jordan Pickford remains with the England side while Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye and Nathan Patterson are taking extended breaks following their World Cup efforts.
Attacking midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was the life of the dressing room last season and looks like that hasn’t changed.
Blues will be encouraged to see defensive lynchpin Jarrad Branthwaite back on his feet and training again, and it appears he has switched to the more conventional squad number 4.
New signing and Everton’s first addition of the summer midfielder Hayden Hackney was also present at the training.
Merlin Rohl saw his loan-to-buy from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg completed last week.

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
David Moyes’ use of his squad last season came under plenty of scrutiny, and for good reason.
He wasn’t trusting enough of enough players, and in the end, Everton suffered because of it, as fatigue and the general wear and tear after the rigours of a long Premier League season came back to bite key performers such as Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in that dismal run-in.
There’s two ways to look at it: Either it was all on Moyes, or some (or even most) of the players brought in last summer simply weren’t ready to make an impact. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but at the end of the day, it’s a manager’s job to get them ready over the course of a campaign.
Big pre-seasons are needed from the likes of Tyler Dibling, Merlin Röhl and Harrison Armstrong, while Adam Aznou needs to be sent out on loan as soon as possible to get regular minutes, but Everton’s two new additions suggest that for all the frustrations with Moyes’ squad management, promising young players are still open to working under the Scot.