WHY EVERTON NEEDS EVAN FERGUSON'S POTENTIAL TO BOOST INCONSISTENT ATTACK
Everton is keen to sign Brighton's Evan Ferguson this winter, hoping to capitalise on his poor loan spell at AS Roma to boost their attack.
Graeme Bailey reports that Everton are eyeing Evan Ferguson this winter to add some much-needed punch to their attack, which has been inconsistent this season.
The 21-year-old Brighton & & Hove Albion forward is a real possibility for Everton, mostly because his loan to AS Roma isn't going well. He's not getting enough playtime there.
Roma might cut that loan short in 2025/26, which opens the door for other clubs. Celtic and Leicester City are also watching Ferguson closely and could make a move.
Ferguson's career has taken a turn since he first broke out at Brighton. People noticed his strength, quickness, and natural scoring ability, hinting at a bright future.
Roma might cut that loan short in 2025/26, which opens the door for other clubs. Celtic and Leicester City are also watching Ferguson closely and could make a move.
Ferguson's career has taken a turn since he first broke out at Brighton. People noticed his strength, quickness, and natural scoring ability, hinting at a bright future.
After falling down the ranks in the first half of 2024/25, Brighton loaned him to West Ham United and then Roma, hoping he would play more. But those moves didn't pan out. He only played 620 minutes in 15 games, which explains why he hasn't found his form.
Everton's interest makes sense considering their current strikers. Beto shows potential but can be frustrating, and Thierno Barry is still developing.
Everton have been looking at different options, like Yuri Alberto, but Ferguson is attractive because of his age, Premier League experience, and potential.
Does Everton need Evan Ferguson?
Another Premier League move is possible, mostly if Roma ends the loan early and Brighton prefers a short-term fix with a better plan. Everton needs a forward who can challenge defenders, connect with teammates, and grow into the role. Ferguson fits that description, but his current form and fitness are concerns.
Everton should be careful about what they offer. He still has the talent, but he needs patience, trust, and regular playtime. If Everton can provide that, he could be a good addition, even if he's not an immediate solution.
DAVID MOYES' INJURY NIGHTMARE: DEWSBURY-HALL AND JACK GREALISH SCARE AFTER CHELSEA DEFEAT
Everton's loss to Chelsea came at a steep price: Moyes confirmed Jack Grealish's hamstring injury after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's early exit.
Moyes Talks Grealish Injury Scare After Everton's Loss to Chelsea
Everton manager David Moyes discussed Jack Grealish's injury scare following Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's knock during their match against Chelsea. The Toffees lost 2-0 to the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto scoring for the home side. This defeat marked Everton's sixth in the Premier League this season, dropping them to eighth place.
Palmer Shines in Chelsea's Victory
Chelsea's Palmer made a strong return from injury, scoring his first goal for the Blues since September in their 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday. Palmer opened the scoring, and Gusto then increased Chelsea's lead. Everton struggled to trouble Enzo Maresca's team, who secured their first win in five matches across all competitions.
Palmer told BBC Sport post-match, The game is never over. We had chances we missed. Overall, I'm happy with the clean sheet and our play. We know we're better with Cole. He was out for a while, but now he's back and will help us.
Maresca praised James and Gusto, who scored and assisted against Everton, saying, They're good players who can play anywhere—full-back, midfield. Gusto took his chance, assisting Cole, so I'm happy for him. Not winning every game doesn't mean we can't compete for titles. Not conceding is a team effort, from Joao Pedro's press to Alejandro Garnacho's.
Moyes Comments on Injury Concerns
Dewsbury-Hall was forced off early in the 16th minute due to injury, replaced by Carlos Alcaraz. Grealish also reported a hamstring issue after the game.
Moyes said about Grealish, Jack felt his hamstring, so we need to be careful.
Regarding Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes added, It threw us off for about 10-15 minutes. I thought we started well. We then conceded. It's tough to be too disappointed with much of what we did. But I'm disappointed we didn't win, and we have a couple of injuries. I'm not disappointed in the players' effort.
Maresca Assesses Chelsea's Performance
When discussing his team's performance against Everton, Maresca told reporters, I commend the players for performing well despite many issues after a difficult week. The last 48 hours were the worst since I joined the club because we lacked support. I'm happy for Malo, whose effort, along with the team's, shows their commitment to the club. The worst 48 hours since joining because people didn’t support the team or me. When asked if the issue was internal or related to supporters, he explained, "In general." I love the fans, and I am very happy with the fans.
Chelsea's Busy December
Chelsea has four games remaining in December, starting with a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Cardiff City on Tuesday. They will end 2025 with Premier League matches against Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth.
VAR ERROR: FORMER PGMOL CHIEF SAYS HWANG HEE-CHAN TACKLE ON LEWIS-SKELLY WAS RED CARD
Former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett claims Hwang Hee-Chan should have been sent off for a studs-up challenge on Myles Lewis-Skelly in Wolves' loss to Arsenal.
According to Keith Hackett, a former PGMOL chief and FIFA referee, Rob Edwards’ team was very lucky not to have a player sent off in their 2-1 loss to Arsenal this past Saturday.
Hackett told Football Insider that Hwang Hee-Chan should have been shown a red card after his challenge on Myles Lewis-Skelly on December 13.
Wolves are likely to be relegated from the Premier League this season. Their situation got worse when Yerson Mosquera scored an own goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Edwards’ team managed to keep Viktor Gyokeres quiet, but two own goals meant they left North London empty-handed. It could easily have been a bigger defeat, too.
Hwang Hee-Chan stays on the pitch against Arsenal
In the 60th minute, Hwang went in for a challenge on Lewis-Skelly with his studs showing. VAR looked at it to see if it was a red card offense, but the ref wasn't asked to review it on the monitor.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former ref said, When you watch that challenge, there’s no question this player used excessive force [which warrants a red card].
“He goes into the challenge fast with a straight leg, studs showing, and even though it's low, it still puts his opponent in danger. The player's feet were off the ground, so he couldn't stop or change direction.
“I'm sure the excuse will be that ‘we stuck with yellow because the challenge was low down,’ but I think there was some intent in the challenge. It should have been red.”
Wolves get closer to Premier League relegation.
Burnley, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, and Leeds United are also struggling to stay up, alongside Wolves. Their chances of staying in the league seem to be fading fast.
There was a glimmer of hope when Tolo Arokodare scored his first Premier League goal in the 90th minute. But that hope was destroyed four minutes later when Mosquera headed the ball into his own net.
Edwards can take some positives from the game. They matched the league leaders for most of the match. Still, they are at the bottom of the table with only two points from 16 games.
They are running out of time to get some points.