INTERNATIONAL

Everton Unbeaten, But Mykolenko Scare & Norgaard Return Dominate Intl Break

📅 October 3, 2026 · By Liberia Sports Live · AI-assisted match report · 👁 3

Solid Start for the Toffees

Everton have made an impressive beginning to the 2026/27 Premier League season. The club has collected nine points from their opening five league games, leaving them joint-fourth in the table and unbeaten across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 1–0 home victory over Ipswich Town on 19 September, and before that they held Tottenham Hotspur to a goalless draw at Spurs, a result that drew jeers from the home crowd at Spurs. Manager David Moyes will be pleased with his side's resilience so far.

Mykolenko Injury Scare During International Break

The big worry during this international break has been the fitness of left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko. The Ukrainian international picked up a muscle problem while on duty with Ukraine, prompting the national team's manager Andrea Maldera to say the club "cannot count on Mykolenko" and that they did not want him to suffer a more serious problem. Everton quickly brought him back to Merseyside for assessment. There was some relief when reports emerged that he had returned to training with Ukraine and appeared to be recovering, but his availability for the trip to Hull City on 11 October is still not fully guaranteed. Moyes has no senior back-up left-back if Mykolenko is ruled out.

Norgaard Finally Set for Debut

There is better news on another front: summer signing Christian Norgaard, who joined from Arsenal, is back in full training after missing the entire first seven games of the season with a groin injury. The Danish midfielder is now in line to make his long-awaited debut for the club. Intriguingly, his return could come on 24 October when Everton travel to Arsenal — his former club — in what promises to be an emotional occasion at the Emirates Stadium.

Striker Shortage Remains a Problem

A nagging concern for Moyes is that Everton still only have Thierno Barry as a recognised centre-forward. The summer window closed without the club securing a second striker after a high-profile deal for USMNT forward Folarin Balogun collapsed dramatically at the final hour, and a last-ditch loan bid for Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee also came to nothing. Barry has chipped in with five goals in all competitions so far, showing some promise, but the club's leadership knows adding another striker must be a priority.

Transfer Talk

(The following are rumours and have not been confirmed by Everton.) With one eye on January, Everton are being linked with several attacking options. According to TEAMtalk, the club have been tracking Danish striker Conrad Harder, currently on loan at Strasbourg from Nordsjaelland, who has drawn comparisons to a young Romelu Lukaku. Separately, reports suggest Everton are among a group of Premier League clubs monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib, a 23-year-old who has scored five goals in five games this season and has reportedly earned a Germany call-up under Jurgen Klopp. There is also speculation — labelled as opinion — that Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose contract expires at the end of the season, could be available on a free transfer in 2027. On the outgoing side, Football Insider claims there is "every chance" Crystal Palace could make a January approach for one of Everton's current squad members, though no player has been officially named in confirmed reports.

Sources

Share on Facebook WhatsApp X