Full Time
Everton finally got the win that had been eluding them, beating newly promoted Ipswich Town 1-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Thierno Barry getting the final touch on James Tarkowski's deflected strike in the 11th minute to wrong-foot keeper Christian Walton. Barry thought he'd made it two with a second-half header, but VAR chalked it off for offside interference, and Ipswich's afternoon got worse from the 67th minute when Abdul Fatawu was sent off for a second yellow after going down too easily. Everton had almost all of the ball and the better of the chances — 21 shots but only two on target — and David Moyes admitted afterwards that wasn't good enough even in victory. It's Everton's first win of the season after four straight draws, and it jumps them up to 6th on 7 points; Ipswich drop to 17th on 3, just above the relegation zone, but there's no shame in making a top-half side work that hard for one goal.
Pre-match Talking Points
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1Everton are unbeaten so far this season, if you're generous with the word 'unbeaten' — one win and three draws is hardly thrilling, but it's a platform, and a win here would be their first proper league win of the campaign. Ipswich, back in the top flight immediately after going down last time, are just trying to bank points early and prove last season's relegation was a blip rather than a pattern.
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2Everton and Ipswich aren't exactly old sparring partners, but this fixture has quietly had Everton's number: just one win in the last six league meetings, and no home victory over Ipswich in the last three attempts, shipping seven goals along the way. Not the sort of record that inspires much confidence going into a home game at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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3Zian Flemming is worth watching for Ipswich — his first goal for the club arrived in the most dramatic circumstances possible, a stoppage-time winner away at ten-man Crystal Palace last time out. That's the kind of moment that turns a squad player into a cult figure overnight, and Ipswich fans will already be hoping for an encore.
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4Everton have a selection puzzle brewing: Christian Norgaard is still working his way back from a groin injury and Merlin Rohl is a late fitness call, while several first-teamers who started on the bench midweek could come straight back into the side. David Moyes has options, but not always obvious answers, which is exactly the kind of problem a manager only half-enjoys having.
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5Ipswich are already up to a second Premier League win of the campaign having bounced straight back up after just one season down in the Championship — no sulking, no rebuilding year, straight back to business. For a club that could easily have spent this September licking its wounds, that's a proper story in itself.
Team Talking Points
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1Everton are fifth in the Premier League after coming from behind to beat promoted Coventry 3-1 last Friday. It was their third league win in a row. If you'd told an Everton fan a couple of years ago they'd be looking down on most of the league in November, they'd have asked what you were drinking.
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2Thierno Barry was the hero, scoring twice in about four minutes and setting up another, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall adding the third. Barry is the name to drop right now. He's turned into exactly the kind of big, awkward centre-forward Goodison fans always loved, now playing at the new stadium.
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3David Moyes was refreshingly honest afterwards. He admitted Coventry made it 'really difficult' and Everton were lucky not to concede a penalty for a James Tarkowski challenge before half-time. Managers who admit they got away with one are rare, so enjoy it.
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4That win was Moyes's 592nd game in charge of Everton, level with Harry Catterick for the most in the club's history. Catterick won two league titles, so it's a proper bit of company. Assuming he's in the dugout at Brentford on 23 November, Moyes takes the record outright.
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5The fixture list after the break is spicy, with a Merseyside derby against Liverpool coming up in the next few weeks. For the first time in a long while, Everton might go into it higher up the table than their neighbours care to admit.
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Top thing to say down the pub
Moyes is about to become the longest-serving manager in Everton's history, and the team's actually playing like it. Fifth in November isn't a fluke anymore.
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Avoid saying
"Everton are always in a relegation scrap" — that line was depressingly accurate for a while, which is exactly why fans in the top five will take great pleasure in correcting you.
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1Ipswich lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, so they go into the break 14th and without a league win in five games. Bournemouth are flying, with eight straight wins, so it's not exactly a shameful defeat. Still, a five-game winless run is the kind of stat Ipswich fans are counting.
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2The opener came after just five minutes, when Evanilson dispossessed keeper Christian Walton and finished with a no-look effort. It made him the first Bournemouth player ever to score in five Premier League games in a row. Unfortunately for Ipswich, they became a footnote in someone else's record.
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3The second goal was cruel. Ryan Christie's shot deflected in off Leif Davis for an own goal. Jack Clarke pulled one back from the penalty spot, but Ipswich couldn't find an equaliser.
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4Gary O'Neil is the man in charge now, after spells at Bournemouth and Wolves. Under him Ipswich have a stubborn streak: they have the best record in the league for winning back points from losing positions. Mention that and you'll sound like you've done your homework.
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5Before Bournemouth came a 2-2 draw at fellow promoted side Hull, a properly chaotic end-to-end game. Ipswich are safely clear of the bottom three for now. The aim this time is to avoid going straight back down, which is what happened after their last Premier League visit in 2024-25.
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Top thing to say down the pub
Ipswich never know when they're beaten, which is great, but they could do with not going behind quite so often.
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Avoid saying
"Ipswich are just here for one season again" — they've heard it every week since promotion, they're sitting comfortably mid-table, and they'd quite like you to look at the actual league table.