David Moyes 750th Premier League Game Everton vs West Ham 2026

Key points

• David Moyes is set to take charge of his 750th Premier League match as Everton visit former club West Ham.
• Everton currently sit 10th in the Premier League, challenging for a European place, while West Ham are 17th, just two points above the relegation zone.
• Only Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have managed more Premier League games than Moyes.
• Moyes began his Premier League managerial career at Everton in March 2002 with a 2‑1 victory over Fulham.
• In the 2004–05 season, Everton finished fourth under Moyes, earning Champions League qualification, including a run to the second qualifying round.
• He built a squad on strong recruitment, bringing in players such as Seamus Coleman for £60,000 from Sligo Rovers, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Joleon Lescott from the Championship, and unlocking the potential of Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar at Goodison Park.
• His brief spell at Manchester United lasted a little over nine months, ending with a 2‑0 defeat at Goodison in April 2014, scored by Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas.
• At Real Sociedad, Moyes oversaw a notable 4‑3 win over Barcelona in January 2015, but his tenure there ended in November of that year.
• After Sunderland’s relegation in 2017, Moyes twice took charge of West Ham, keeping them up in his first spell and then returning in December 2019 to guide them into three consecutive European campaigns.
• He lifted the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League with West Ham, with Declan Rice developing into a £100 million captain before his £105 million transfer to Arsenal.
• Moyes rejoined Everton in January 2025 under the ownership of The Friedkin Group, losing his first match to Aston Villa, then delivering four wins in the next five fixtures to ease early fears about his reappointment.
• This season he has restored Everton to the European conversation, with the club sitting just outside the top six and pushing for a European spot.

Goodison Park, Liverpool (East London Times) April 28, 2026 – Everton manager David Moyes prepares to take charge of his 750th Premier League match today as Everton travel to former club West Ham. The match comes at a pivotal moment for both teams, with Everton challenging for a European place and West Ham fighting to stay clear of the relegation zone. As reported by several outlets covering the Premier League, Moyes’ longevity places him among an elite group of managers, with only Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson having managed more top‑flight games.

How has Everton’s position changed under Moyes this season?

Everton currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, within touching distance of the European places. In February 2026, a 2‑0 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium over Burnley saw them move to within two points of the top six, with goals from James Tarkowski and Kiernan Dewsbury‑

Hall keeping their European hopes alive. As reported by beIN Sports, Moyes urged the squad to “keep pushing” in their quest for European football, stressing that each point now matters in the run‑in.

The club’s improvement this term has been noted by several writers and statisticians. According to performance data tracked for the 2025–26 campaign, Everton’s points‑per‑game figure under Moyes sits around 1.43, with a win rate of roughly 40 per cent, figures that compare favourably with the prognosis many had after his return in January 2025.

A Royal Blue Mersey review of the 2024–25 season highlighted that, after taking over in mid‑January, Moyes oversaw a marked upturn in form, with the Toffees suffering only three losses in roughly three months before the season‑ending run‑in.

How does this match fit into Moyes’ broader managerial story?

Moyes’ first Premier League game in charge came at Everton in March 2002, when the Toffees beat Fulham 2‑1 at Goodison Park.

That early victory helped steady a side that had been drifting, and within a few seasons Everton were consistently challenging above the relegation zone on a modest budget. By the 2004–05 season, the club finished fourth under Moyes, earning a place in the Champions League second qualifying round, and held a lead against Villarreal before being eliminated over two legs.

His recruitment at Everton has been widely cited as a key factor in that period’s success. Seamus Coleman was signed for approximately £60,000 from Sligo Rovers and went on to become a mainstay for club and country.

Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Joleon Lescott arrived from the Championship, while Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar were deployed in roles that maximised their creative influence.

Why did his Manchester United spell prove so short?

Moyes’ tenure at Manchester United began in July 2013, but ended little over nine months later, in April 2014. The farewell match was a 2‑0 defeat at Goodison Park against Everton, with goals coming from Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas.

Commentators at the time described an uncomfortable atmosphere in the stands, with home supporters acutely aware of the contrast between Moyes’ earlier success at Everton and the underwhelming period at Old Trafford.

After leaving United, Moyes moved to La Liga with Real Sociedad. In January 2015, his side recorded a 4‑3 win over Barcelona at the Reale Arena, a result that briefly lifted hopes at the club. However, by November 2015, his contract was terminated, underlining the difficulty of sustaining that early promise.

How did his time at West Ham shape his reputation?

Moyes’ first stint at West Ham came amid a period of decline. Sunderland were relegated under his leadership in 2017, but his quick return to the Premier League with West Ham showed that clubs still valued his ability to stabilise struggling sides. He kept the Hammers up in his first spell, earning respect for his work in improving the club’s defensive organisation.

After a short absence, he returned to West Ham in December 2019 and gradually rebuilt the squad into a competitive outfit.

The highlight came in the 2022–23 season, when West Ham lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League, their first European trophy in over 40 years. Declan Rice developed into a stand‑out captain during that spell, attracting valuation estimates around £100 million before his eventual £105 million move to Arsenal.

How has his second Everton spell been going so far?

Moyes rejoined Everton in January 2025 after the departure of the previous manager, taking over a side that had won only three league games before his arrival. His first outing ended in a heavy defeat to Aston Villa, but the club’s form quickly turned around, with four wins and just one loss across the next five matches.

By the end of the 2024–25 season, Everton had climbed to 13th, their best finish since the days of Carlo Ancelotti, according to fan‑analysis site Royal Blue Mersey.

The review noted that players such as Beto became more prolific after his arrival, while winter‑window loan signing Charly Alcaráz showed he could operate at Premier League level with and without the ball. The article also pointed out that although the team’s form dipped in April, three consecutive wins in May lifted them to 13th and restored a sense of optimism at Goodison.

This season, that momentum has continued into the early months of 2026. After a 2‑0 win over Burnley, Everton now sit just outside the top six, with Moyes publicly backing the group to stay in the European race.

As reported by local‑scene outlet ToffeeWeb, Moyes has spoken positively about Everton’s European push and impressive away record, including a recent win at Craven Cottage where he watched from the stands after being banned from the touchline for over‑zealous celebrations against Brighton.

Background of this development

Moyes’ journey to 750 Premier League matches reflects the evolution of the English game since the early 2000s, when the league began to attract more global attention and investment. His first stint at Everton came during a period when top‑flight clubs could still build competitive squads with relatively modest transfer budgets, relying on shrewd scouting and player development.

The subsequent years saw his career take him through Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham, each club marking a different phase in his managerial education.

At United, he learned the pressures that come with leading one of the world’s most scrutinised jobs, while at West Ham he re‑established his reputation as a manager who can stabilise and then improve a club over several seasons.

His return to Everton in 2025 coincided with a change in ownership, as The Friedkin Group took control of the club. That backdrop of new investment and restructuring created fresh expectations, but Moyes’ track record of over‑achieving on limited resources made him a logical choice for many observers.

Prediction: How could this milestone affect players, fans and the league?

For Everton’s squad, Moyes’ 750th Premier League game may serve as a reminder of the experience he brings to high‑pressure fixtures. His history of keeping smaller‑budget teams competitive could help settle the group as they continue their push for Europe, especially if injuries or suspensions arise in the run‑in.

Everton supporters, who have endured periods of instability and financial strain, may view this milestone as evidence that the club has re‑connected with a manager who has previously delivered European football under adverse conditions. A strong performance in this fixture could further solidify fan confidence in both Moyes and the current project at Goodison Park.

West Ham’s players and staff, meanwhile, may find the occasion emotionally complex, given Moyes’ role in their recent success, including the Conference League triumph. The outcome of this game could influence both clubs’ tactical approach in the closing weeks of the season, particularly if the result affects the gap between mid‑table safety and the top‑six places.