Why 2025 is a Huge Year For Everton
2025 is a year of change for Everton as they leave their home of 132 years at the end of the current season with Goodison Park paying its farewell to hosting league football, coupled with the departure of manager Sean Dyche, after just under two years in the role.
The Toffees sit 16th in the Premier League, just a point and two places above the relegation zone.
The last few years have been challenging in the Toffees’ recent history as the club have fought to preserve their top-flight status, their last relegation coming in 1951 before returning three years later, never dropping down since.
A mid table finish in 2020 preceded a dropoff in league position, finishing 16th, 17th, and 15th. Leaving it late to avoid the Championship in 2022, then managed by Frank Lampard battled from 2-0 down to miraculously win 3-2 against Crystal Palace. 12 months later they left it to the final day to beat Bournemouth 1-0 under Dyche.
Unlike the other two seasons, Everton finished 14 points clear of the relegation zone. Had they not have received an eight point deduction for Profit and Sustainability breaches, they would have finished in 12th.
Everton’s biggest change has been off the pitch, when just before Christmas, the club’s ownership changed as The Friedkin Group, owners of Italian side AS Roma, took over the club from Farhad Moshiri, who had owned the club since 2016.
Despite this positive news, another season of survival looks to be on the cards.
Goals in short supply
The Toffees’ biggest woe is in their attacking ranks with them only scoring 15 times in the league, with only bottom side Southampton registering less goals with 12 to their name.
Four of these goals came in one match as they beat Wolves at the start of December. Although since then, they have scored just the one goal, and that was at Manchester City as they earned a point at the Etihad.
However, Everton’s December schedule was tough as they played the league’s best sides in the form of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. Liverpool were also meant to visit Goodison in what would have been the last Merseyside Derby at Goodison, but the weather intervened.
Everton’s highest scorers so far have three apiece with Dwight McNeil and summer signing Iliman Ndiaye leading the way. Dominic Calvert Lewin and Michael Keane are behind with just two.
The January Transfer window gives Everton the ideal opportunity to strengthen their attack, a potential turning point in their season.
A Possible Return For David Moyes?
Sean Dyche’s dismissal means that Everton are looking for an eighth permanent manager in under nine years, with Under-18s Head Coach Leighton Baines and captain Seamus Coleman taking charge of the team.
This news sparks the first hurdle that the ownership group at Everton will face, but who could they bring in?
One manager who is currently available is none other than David Moyes, former Everton manager between 2002 and 2013. His last role was with West Ham where his contract had expired at the end of last season.
Moyes’ second spell with the Hammers was very successful, reaching a Europa League semi-final before guiding the club to their first piece of silverware in over 43 years to win the Europa Conference League in 2023.
At Everton, the Scotsman got the club into the Champions League qualifying rounds after finishing fourth in 2005, their club’s highest Premier League finish. Also reaching an FA Cup final in 2009, before being chosen as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor at Manchester United in 2013.
If Moyes does return to the Toffees for a second spell, he will be faced with a similar challenge to the one he had previously at West Ham back in 2019, when they were 16th.
An upturn in form is a must
Three wins all season for Everton against Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Wolves has not helped at all, but despite the fixture list not being the easiest with only one league win in 11 games, their latest defeat at Bournemouth last weekend.
Home matches versus Aston Villa and Tottenham provide tough challenges. February’s home game versus Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester followed by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park are ideal opportunities to pick up maximum points.
March is a big month for Everton as they travel to Molineux to play fellow strugglers Wolves.
This run of fixtures should also see the rearranged Merseyside Derby versus Liverpool.
April will be a challenge as they will face Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Chelsea.
May will be a crucial month for the Toffees as Goodison Park’s last two matches will see Ipswich and Southampton travel to Merseyside, which should certainly be interesting regarding the fight for survival. As they round off the season away at Newcastle.