Grealish Boosts Everton's Chances Against Tottenham

Everton know exactly what awaits them in north London. The numbers are brutal: one goal in their last five away games at Tottenham. That’s not a quirk, it’s a pattern – and one David Moyes’ side have to rip up.

He has stripped things back this week. No grand statements, no drama, just work. Around Finch Farm the mood has been described as everyone “mucking in”, players and staff alike. Given a stuttering start to the season, that suits Moyes just fine. Noise doesn’t win you points.

Tottenham arrive in this with problems of their own. More than £250 million spent in the summer, one point from three matches, no goals scored. That kind of return turns the spotlight white-hot very quickly. For Everton, it opens a door. Walk through it, though, and they’ll need more than history and hope. Anyone expecting Spurs to simply fold hasn’t been paying attention to this league.

Grealish Ready to Start – and Change the Picture

The headline for Everton is simple: Jack Grealish starts. Moyes confirmed in his pre-match press conference that the England international is ready to go from the first whistle, and that immediately reshapes Everton’s attacking threat.

Grealish brings control. He carries the ball under pressure, dictates tempo, and can either slow the game to a crawl or snap it into life in a single touch. For a side that has often struggled to impose itself away at Tottenham, that sort of presence between the lines is invaluable.

There is less clarity over James Garner. He limped off last week and Moyes offered no firm update, leaving a question mark over the midfield structure. Christian Nørgaard is definitely out, though the expectation is that he will be back after the international break. As things stand, he is the only confirmed absentee.

The travelling squad is well stocked in most areas. In goal, Jordan Pickford, Mark Travers and King are available. Defensively, Moyes can turn to Jarrad Branthwaite, Michael Keane, Jake O'Brien, James Tarkowski, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Nathan Patterson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Further forward, options include Harrison Armstrong, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Hayden Hackney, Merlin Röhl, Charly Alcaraz, Tyler Dibling, Tyrique George, Brennan Johnson, Grealish and Thierno Barry.

Predicted XI: Hackney to Anchor, Grealish to Orchestrate

All signs point to Everton sticking with the 4-1-4-1 shape used in pre-season. It suits the personnel, and it gives Moyes a clear structure both with and without the ball.

If Garner is not ready to start, Hayden Hackney is expected to step in at the base of midfield. He impressed off the bench last weekend, snapping into challenges and using the ball with more sharpness than some around him. This is the sort of game where that edge matters.

Behind him, Pickford should continue in goal. The back four almost picks itself: Mykolenko at left-back, Branthwaite and Tarkowski as the central pairing, and Maitland-Niles on the right. It’s a unit that offers height, aggression and, crucially, familiarity.

Hackney’s job will be to screen that defence, with Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall and Röhl working ahead of him in midfield. That trio gives Everton a blend of creativity, running power and technical quality.

Tyrique George has done enough to keep his place out wide and is expected to start again. Thierno Barry is tipped to lead the line, tasked with stretching Spurs’ defence and giving Grealish and company something to hit.

Predicted XI: Jordan Pickford; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitaliy Mykolenko; Hayden Hackney; Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Merlin Röhl, Tyrique George; Thierno Barry.

Thin Bench, Tight Decisions

The substitutes’ bench will likely look light again. That is Everton’s reality this season and something Moyes will have to navigate carefully, especially if the game turns into a physical battle.

Travers, Keane and O'Brien provide defensive cover. Armstrong offers late-game energy, pressing high and chasing lost causes. Alcaraz and Dibling can alter the tempo in midfield or from wide areas if Everton need fresh legs or a different type of passer.

Brennan Johnson, quiet last weekend, remains an intriguing option. His motivation is obvious if he gets the nod, but he will need to translate that into impact.

Garner’s fitness could still shift the selection picture. If he proves ready, Moyes has a different balance available to him in midfield. If not, there is little sense in forcing him back this early in the campaign.

Everton Need Precision, Not Just Grit

The assignment is clear. Everton must be compact, aggressive and fully switched on, but that alone will not be enough. They have been organised on previous visits to Tottenham and still come away with nothing.

This time, they have to be ruthless. Chances will not come often, and when they do, they cannot be passed up. Effort matters. Shape matters. Concentration matters. So does a finish into the corner when the moment arrives.

If Grealish settles quickly and Hackney gives Everton the balance they’ve lacked in these fixtures, there is a path into the game and a real opportunity to turn Tottenham’s early-season anxiety into something darker.

If they fail to grasp it, this could feel like just another long, punishing afternoon in north London – and how many more of those can this Everton side afford?