Everton vs Ipswich Town: Moyes’ Men Seek Momentum Against Newcomers

Everton roll back into league duty on Saturday with something they haven’t had in a while: rhythm. A midweek cup win, an unbeaten Premier League start, and a home crowd at the renamed Hill Dickinson Stadium expecting more of the same when newly promoted Ipswich Town arrive on Merseyside.

It’s their second home game in four days. The schedule is heavy. The mood is light.

Cup lift, selection headaches

On Wednesday night, David Moyes’ side edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup. One sharp move, one clean finish, and that was enough.

Charly Alcaraz, left foot, low and decisive, finished off a neat exchange with Tyler Dibling to settle the tie. A moment of quality in a game that never quite caught fire.

The reward came later in the evening: a home draw against Newcastle United in the fourth round, to be played in the week commencing 26 October. Another big night under the lights is coming.

More importantly for Moyes, fringe players did more than just fill shirts. They pushed. They asked questions.

Assistant Manager Alan Irvine laid it out clearly before kick-off, especially to Dibling. “You’ve got your chance; make sure that you perform well, and then you give the manager a big decision to make about whether you're in the team next time.” Dibling took that personally. Then he took the game by the scruff of the neck.

He walked away with the Player of the Match award and the assist for Alcaraz’s winner. That’s how you answer a challenge.

Irvine didn’t hide his delight over Alcaraz either, saying he was “absolutely thrilled” for the Argentine and noting how “massively disappointed” the 23-year-old is whenever he’s left out of the starting XI. Now, at least, that frustration has turned into a real selection problem for Moyes.

Everton’s quiet, steady start

No noise, no fuss, but Everton are still unbeaten in the league. One win, three draws. Not spectacular, but solid. The kind of platform Moyes has built seasons on before.

Two promoted sides now stand in their path. Ipswich at home on Saturday, then Hull City after the international break. On paper, Everton’s quality should tell. The squad looks deeper, sharper, and those midweek performances only underlined the strength in the winger and midfield positions.

The question is how bold Moyes wants to be. Alcaraz and Dibling did everything they could to force their way into the Premier League XI, but breaking into a settled side is never simple, especially in areas where Everton are already well stocked.

At the back, the first-choice pairing should reunite. Jarrad Branthwaite, fresh from an England call-up, is expected to return alongside James Tarkowski after both were rested against Wolves. Jake O’Brien and Michael Keane did their job in midweek, but this is likely Branthwaite’s stage again.

Ipswich refuse to be overawed

Across the halfway line on Saturday stands a club that has no intention of just making up the numbers.

Ipswich Town came up last season as runners-up and have wasted no time proving they belong. Gary O’Neil’s side sit in midtable with two wins and two defeats from their opening four matches, a tidy return given the difficulty of their schedule. Opta’s Power Rankings had their start down as one of the toughest in the division.

They haven’t blinked.

Their last league outing was a statement in itself: a wild 3-2 away win at Crystal Palace, sealed by a 90th-minute strike from Zian Flemming at Selhurst Park. Late winners on the road do more than just add three points. They build belief. They tell a newly promoted dressing room that the Premier League isn’t something to fear.

Ipswich arrive at Hill Dickinson with that fresh confidence and nothing to lose.

Team news and likely XI

Moyes confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Harrison Armstrong is available, but not fully ready to start. Rohl remains sidelined, with the club keeping the specifics of his injury under wraps.

The intrigue lies in how much Moyes leans into the midweek momentum. Dibling and Alcaraz will both be hoping their performances against Wolves earn them more than a place on the bench, but cracking the starting XI might still be a stretch given the competition in their positions.

A 4-3-2-1 setup is expected again:

• Pickford; Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Hackney, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall; Grealish, Barry, George.

That spine, with Branthwaite restored and Jordan Pickford behind him, gives Everton a familiar solidity. The creative burden will again fall on the attacking midfielders and wide forwards, with Moyes likely to keep his powder dry on some of those cup heroes until later in the game.

Match details and broadcast

Kick-off is at 3pm BST on Saturday 19 September 2026 at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

As with all Saturday 3pm fixtures in the Premier League, the game will not be shown live in the UK because of the broadcast embargo.

Inside the ground, though, the story writes itself: an unbeaten Everton side, a promoted Ipswich team that refuses to be intimidated, and a manager in Moyes with just the kind of “selective headache” he enjoys.

If his squad keeps answering challenges like Dibling and Alcaraz did in midweek, how long before this steady start turns into something more ambitious?