Everton Round-Up, Sunday 25th October: Moyes Demands More After Arsenal Defeat as Rashford Links Emerge
It's been a tough weekend to be a Blue. Everton slipped to a 2-0 defeat away at Arsenal, falling behind inside seven minutes when Ezri Konsa scored from a corner before Gabriel added a second with a header (Read Everton). It left the Toffees facing their second successive Premier League loss (Read Everton), and BBC Sport's Match of the Day cameras were there to capture it as part of a bumper weekend of fixtures (BBC Sport).
David Moyes was clear afterwards that his side must create more chances if they are to kick on, making his ambitions for the club plain in the wake of the loss (Liverpool Echo) (Read Everton). One bright spot was Tyrique George, handed a rare start after Jack Grealish was ruled out through illness, with Moyes offering praise for the winger's performance (Read Everton). Merlin Rohl also spoke after the game, pointing to a possible solution for Moyes as attention turns to a big Carabao Cup clash with Newcastle United, with some selection issues for the manager to work through before that one (Liverpool Echo) (Read Everton).
The post-match reaction has been widespread. Everton fan Sarah Halpin described the result as "disappointing" when giving her verdict to the BBC (BBC Sport), while the national media picked out some concerns from the performance, though one positive was also highlighted (Liverpool Echo). Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking after his side moved level on points at the top of the table, discussed his detailed knowledge of rival managers and touched on what he sees as Everton's biggest fear (Liverpool Echo). Elsewhere, the Liverpool Echo's talking points piece flagged a worrying trend from the game, with a notably quiet 10-touch showing from one player strengthening the case for Tyler Dibling to feature more (Liverpool Echo). ToffeeWeb also reflected on what was learned from the defeat (ToffeeWeb), while a separate opinion piece from the site suggested the team "just exist" following a loss that felt worse than it perhaps should have (ToffeeWeb). The Echo's Chris Beesley used his train journey home from the Emirates to make a wider point about ownership and the need for someone who cares enough to show up (Liverpool Echo).
On the transfer front, TeamTalk reports that Everton have opened talks over a sensational deal for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, with United said to be lining up a replacement from Sporting CP (TeamTalk). Read Everton added that the two clubs have held early discussions over a possible January move for the 28-year-old, according to FootballTransfers (Read Everton). Meanwhile, a former Everton striker who went on to amass a reported £4 billion fortune has hailed the Blues as a "great investment opportunity" (Liverpool Echo).
It was a difficult weekend for the women's side too. Everton Women suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to Aston Villa, with Amalie Vangsgaard scoring twice for the visitors as Villa held on despite a late fightback at Goodison Park in the Women's Super League (BBC Sport). The result also brought an end to a home streak at Goodison (EvertonFC.com), with highlights of the 2-3 loss available via the club's official channels (EvertonFC.com), who also carried live coverage of the match as it unfolded.
Away from the pitch, the Echo shared a lovely gallery of archive photographs capturing generations of both Liverpool and Everton supporters down the decades, a nice reminder of the shared footballing heritage across the city (Liverpool Echo).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.