David Moyes on Everton's Injury Challenges and Jack Grealish's Return

David Moyes admits Everton misjudged the length of one key signing’s lay-off, but his focus is already shifting to the return of Jack Grealish and the challenge of keeping a thin squad competitive.

Injury frustration and a missing leader

Moyes did not hide his irritation at how long one recent arrival has been sidelined.

"I don't think we expected his recovery to take this long when we signed him," he said. "We are looking forward to gaining his experience, but we haven't even had him on the grass yet. It is disappointing - for us and for him - but hopefully it won't be too long."

A player signed for know‑how and calm has yet to lace his boots in anger. For a squad this small, that absence bites.

Grealish close to long-awaited start

The mood lifts when the conversation turns to Grealish. Moyes knows exactly what the playmaker brings.

Jack Grealish, he says, is "a boy who needs football matches more than he needs training", and that could push him into contention for a first start since January this weekend.

"It will be incredibly exciting to have him in our starting line-up," Moyes said. "If he gives us what he gave us at the start of last season, we will be thrilled."

Everton have built an unbeaten start without him from the beginning of games. Dropping a fully firing Grealish into that mix is the kind of spark managers crave.

Unbeaten – but not satisfied

That early-season platform has steadied the club, yet Moyes is not dressing it up as perfection.

Everton’s unbeaten run is "pleasing in some aspects", but he admitted he "would have liked to get another win rather than a draw somewhere along the way".

He did, though, underline the standards his players have hit so far, praising them for doing "a really good job".

The base is there. The edge to turn draws into wins is what he wants next.

Small squad, tight bond

Moyes has long believed that fewer players can mean stronger ties. This campaign will test that theory.

He drew a clear line between numbers and togetherness: "You only have to look at Leicester City's title-winning squad to see how their small group of players thrived."

The catch, as he sees it, is the calendar.

"It's the amount of games which means you need the extra players, but we don't have European football this year so maybe we can find a way of getting through with what we've got."

Even so, if he had been handed the choice, he would have bulked up.

Moyes revealed his ideal: "21 outfield players" rather than the 18 currently available. Three missing bodies, spread across a season, can quickly become a crisis.

Scanning the market – with limits

Everton are not simply accepting their lot. The club are active in the free agent market, trying to find help without a transfer fee.

Moyes confirmed they are exploring options, but he was blunt about the difficulty of finding genuine upgrades at this stage.

"It isn't easy to find a player who could make a difference" in the Premier League, he said.

The message is clear: they will move if the right player appears, not just to make up the numbers.

Tottenham test and a familiar struggle

Next up come Tottenham, still searching for their first league goal and win. It is a storyline Everton know all too well.

"It wasn't too long ago that we were in those situations as a club," Moyes said. "We know we can only look after ourselves. We didn't quite make it over the line there a couple of months ago, so hopefully we do it this time."

The scars of that missed opportunity are still fresh. Tottenham’s current troubles only sharpen the sense that this is a moment Everton must seize.

International break looming over plans

Beyond the weekend, another challenge lurks: the two-week international break.

Moyes called it "difficult for everybody to manage" and spelled out why.

"There will be a lot of players who will end up playing a lot more minutes than others and injuries could be a problem as well. We've got to hope that our boys do play a bit, but maybe not all of the games."

For a manager running with 18 outfield players, every extra minute on international duty carries a risk.

So the picture is clear. A key signing still absent, Grealish ready to step back into the spotlight, a lean squad walking a tightrope, and Tottenham waiting. Everton’s season will not be defined this weekend, but it may reveal how far this small group can really stretch.