David Moyes Faces Challenges as Everton Prepares for Manchester United Clash

David Moyes cuts a frustrated figure as the dust settles on a chaotic deadline day – but he insists Everton still have enough to stay clear of trouble.

The Everton manager heads into Sunday’s clash with Manchester United with what he openly describes as a stripped-back squad. A late push to bring Monaco striker Folarin Balogun back to the Premier League fell apart in the final hours of the window, while Iliman Ndiaye was sold to Manchester City, leaving Moyes short on numbers and options.

When the window shut, the reality bit: just 18 senior outfield players, and only one recognised striker.

“Disappointed we didn't do more business, disappointed things didn't go our way in the end,” Moyes admitted at his pre-match press conference. “But sometimes in football you have to live with disappointments and we will and we'll move on.”

The Balogun saga summed up the chaos. Monaco managing director Thiago Scuro revealed that the USA international ultimately walked away from the move because of how he felt he was treated by Everton during the process.

An issue flagged during Balogun’s medical led Everton to try to renegotiate the terms of the reported £40 million deal. Both clubs were still willing to push the transfer through, but the striker himself decided to pull the plug.

“There were lots of different bits to it. It wasn't anybody's fault,” Moyes said. “Ultimately it happens in football a lot. The player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it.”

The collapse leaves Everton light in attack at a time when Moyes is determined to drag the club upwards, not merely survive. Last season they flirted with European qualification before a late slump saw them slide to 13th, a finish that still exceeded many expectations.

Moyes has made it clear since he walked through the door that he does not see himself scrapping at the wrong end of the table.

“I'm getting too old now to be sitting around at the bottom end,” the former Manchester United boss said. “I've said that to the players here when I came in. The job is that we challenge as close to the top end of the league as we can.

“I've got to say, they've done a brilliant job of it last year, and I don't think we were expected to do so well as what we've done.

“I've got to hope that we can do that again. There might not be a great expectation on us at this moment in time, but behind the scenes I'm rallying them.”

The squad may be thin. The expectations outside Goodison may have dipped. Moyes, though, is clearly gearing up for another swing at the top half, even if he has to do it with one striker and a threadbare bench.