Guardian writers’ predicted position: 8th (NB: this is not necessarily Tom Garry’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 8th
Prospects
Everton are entering the season with a fairly unfamiliar sense of optimism. It marks a sharp contrast from the mood 12 months ago and a troubled first half of the last campaign, when their threadbare squad was stretched, their serious injury list was mounting and the wider club was waiting agonisingly for news of a takeover.
Amid that uncertainty and what was – at the time – a low budget, some were tipping Everton for relegation and the team had to wait until 17 November for their first league victory. But once they had won that Merseyside derby their confidence soared and the morale-boosting acquisition of the club by The Friedkin Group not only gave the players a lift but ensured there were funds to spend in January, and they enjoyed a much-improved second half of the season to finish a comfortable 14 points clear of the relegation zone in a respectable eighth place.
Everton have strengthened their squad markedly this summer with some eye-catching signings, not least the arrival of three Japan internationals – the forward Yuka Momiki, full-back Hikaru Kitagawa and centre-back Rion Ishikawa – and their fans will be looking forward to welcoming back some longer-term knee-injury absentees from last season, such as the Spain forward Inma Gabarro, who has been in impressive form during pre-season after missing almost all of last term with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Nobody should be getting too carried away – Everton have not suddenly become a team who will challenge for the league – but equally there is no reason for the club to fear the drop. A top-half finish is a realistic aim and they will certainly want to improve on last season.
The manager
Brian Sørensen, the second-longest-serving manager in the division behind Manchester United’s Marc Skinner, has been in charge since the summer of 2022 and is entering his fourth season. In April he signed a new deal until 2027. The Dane spent large parts of last season looking thoroughly dejected about Everton’s injury problems but he has a healthier squad and will surely have enjoyed the team’s pre-season trip to his homeland. Sørensen is a relatively quiet, family man with a good reputation for his style of football and it will be interesting to see what he can achieve with better resources.
Off-field picture
The Friedkin Group has reinvigorated the mood around the women’s team and there has been a significant uplift in the number of off-field staff. The biggest change, however, came with the historic move to make Goodison Park the women’s team’s new home. That not only ensured the 133-year-old ground was saved but dramatically improves the women’s team’s matchday facilities compared with their former base at Walton Hall Park, which had the league’s smallest capacity at just over 2,000.
Star signing
There is a lot of excitement concerning the Spain youth international winger Ornella Vignola, who has arrived from Granada. The former Barcelona youngster caught Everton’s eye because she likes to take defenders on and her direct running should offer the club’s attack a new dimension. She has plenty of experience for a 20-year-old, including playing in the Champions League, and was part of the Spain squad that won the Under-20 World Cup alongside Gabarro in 2022. Everton’s loan acquisition of Katie Robinson from Aston Villa will give them another skilful option in wide areas.
Stepping up
Nearly 18 months ago Issy Hobson grabbed the headlines by becoming the WSL’s youngest goalscorer at the age of 16 with a last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal. The defender, now 17, gained valuable experience in the second tier during a loan with Sheffield United last term and it will be intriguing to see how much the England youth international can push on this season and how much more first-team exposure she can gain. There are also high hopes for Everton’s young player of last season, Martina Fernández, who made her switch from Barcelona permanent this summer after a loan.
It was a good summer for …
The Everton winger Toni Payne was part of the Nigeria side that triumphed in Morocco by winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title, extending their record as the continent’s most successful team with their 10th title, and their first in seven years. Payne received a rapturous reception from her club-mates when she returned for pre-season after her country’s 3-2 victory over the hosts in the final. The 30-year-old appeared in all 22 of Everton’s league fixtures last term and will be a key player againwith her pace and strong ball control.
Main initiative to attract more fans
As well as making Goodison Park their main home ground, Everton’s women are playing a fixture at the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium on the banks of the River Mersey. They will host Manchester United at the 52,000-capacity venue on 12 October, hoping to attract more fans to support the women’s side. They are also attempting to boost the region’s grassroots prospects by letting out their former home, Walton Hall Park, to the third-tier club Liverpool Feds.
