After going unbeaten in the first eight games of the 2026/27 campaign, Everton boss David Moyes now faces the task of picking his players up to avoid a continued slump in results.
The Toffees have fallen to back-to-back defeats in the Premier League in the last two weeks, with Chelsea and Arsenal getting the better of the senior side.
Moyes’ men have failed to score in each of the last two meetings in England’s top-flight, with their struggles within attacking areas once again starting to rear their head.
The continued selection of one player in recent weeks has certainly contributed to the decline in form, with the manager desperately needing to take the player out of his starting eleven.
Why Brennan Johnson has been a complete failure at Everton
As part of Everton’s summer recruitment drive, the hierarchy completed a deal with Crystal Palace for the signing of Brennan Johnson, with Dwight McNeil going in the opposite direction.
The Welsh international was seen as a transformative addition for the Toffees, but it’s safe to say the move has been a complete disaster to date.
The 25-year-old has started five of the Toffees’ eight league games this campaign, including in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
However, the decision made by Moyes was undoubtedly the wrong one, as the winger only registered nine touches of the ball – a figure over six times lower than that of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
|
Brennan Johnson – stats vs Arsenal |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
72 |
|
Touches |
9 |
|
Passes completed |
6 |
|
Ground duels lost |
67% |
|
Aerials lost |
100% |
|
Chances created |
0 |
|
Shots taken |
0 |
|
Fouls committed |
4 |
Even out of possession, Johnson failed to deliver during the defeat, as he lost 100% of his aerial battles, 67% of his ground duels and committed four fouls – the most of any player on the pitch.
His struggles have been evident in other games this campaign, with the former Nottingham Forest man unable to register a single goal or assist in the Premier League to date.
Johnson’s measly tally of just 1.1 shots per 90 this term ranks him in the bottom 15% of all attackers in the division this term, further highlighting why his move has been a complete disaster.
How Everton can secure a mega Johnson upgrade
Despite completing a move to join Everton just two months ago, it’s safe to say Johnson is already becoming a man under pressure from supporters on Merseyside.
Upon his move from Crystal Palace this window, the attacker signed a four-year deal – a decision that now looks to be a glaring error from the hierarchy given his struggles.
Given his long-term contract and high weekly earnings, shifting the 25-year-old off the books in January looks a near-impossible task, which could see the forward remain on the fringes of the squad.
However, the club are now attempting to rectify the mistake in the January window, and have started work on a deal to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.
It’s been reported by FootballTransfers that talks between the two clubs have already commenced even though the window remains closed for another two months.
The report states that it’s unclear if a deal for the 28-year-old would be a loan or a permanent one, but Moyes is keen to add further quality in forward areas.
Such a move will likely cost a pretty penny for the Toffees given the player’s current earnings, but that would likely be the biggest issue preventing a deal from going through this winter.
Landing a player of Rashford’s quality would be a huge signal of intent from the hierarchy, and would add a proven Premier League talent into the senior ranks.
He’s undoubtedly a player who would provide an upgrade on current forward Johnson, with their respective stats from the current campaign demonstrating the difference in quality.
The Man Utd star has managed to register over three times more shots per 90 in the Premier League this term, with his average of 3.4 placing him in the top 5% of attackers in the division.
He’s also managed to better the Welsh international for chances created, with his tally of 3.2 per 90 also over three times higher than that of the current Toffees man.
Just like his shooting figures, Rashford ranks highly compared to those in his position, with 98% of attackers unable to match such a figure so far this campaign.
The two aforementioned figures combined would no doubt add the top-level quality Moyes has been hunting for over the last couple of months – especially after the failure to land Folarin Balogun.
The 28-year-old’s incredible efforts in forward areas stretch to his loan spell at Barcelona last campaign, as he ended the 2025/26 season with 25 combined goals and assists across all competitions.
His excellent form saw many heap praise on the Englishman, with compatriot and former Toffee Anthony Gordon labelling him as “one of the best players in the world.”
Such a move is a highly ambitious one from the board, but it’s the type of deal needed if Everton are to progress and challenge for a European spot this campaign.
Any move would undoubtedly push Johnson further down the manager’s pecking order – something which is desperately needed given his massive struggles since his summer move.
