Everton v Ipswich: Key stats and talking points
· Yahoo Sports
Everton aim to continue their unbeaten start against an Ipswich side bidding for back-to-back away wins.
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
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The win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday provided the dual positives of extending Everton's unbeaten start to the season and allowing fringe players to come to the fore.
Second-half substitute Charly Alcaraz scored the winner after 80 minutes – his first goal for the club in 13 months – on his longest outing of the season so far.
Winger Tyler Dibling also impressed on what was only his eighth start since swapping Southampton for Merseyside in a £35m move a year ago, assisting the winning goal, while Brennan Johnson, usually utilised out wide, was effective as a central striker after replacing Thierno Barry.
The flexibility and impact of squad members is a welcome boon for manager David Moyes given he was limited to selecting from just 15 fit senior outfield players for the cup tie.
Christian Norgaard, Harrison Armstrong and Merlin Rohl are injured, and while Armstrong could return this weekend, Everton's arduous end to the summer transfer window is already being exacerbated by fitness issues.
The EFL Cup victory means that Everton prepare to face Ipswich Town having started their campaign by going undefeated in six games in for the first time since 2020-21, while it is only the second time in either Moyes reign that the Blue have gone unbeaten in their opening four Premier League matches.
While the midweek fixture was decided by players still earning their manager's trust, Everton's most recent league outing was influenced by somebody already assured of Moyes's good graces.
James Garner's all-action performance in the goalless draw at Tottenham was pivotal in earning a hard-earned point and a return to his superlative form of last season following groin surgery before this campaign.
[BBC]Garner's physicality, creativity and versatility are all likely to be crucial assets if the Toffees are to push back towards the European places this season, but also in matches against unpredictable opposition.
Ipswich have impressed in beating Sunderland and Crystal Palace already this season, while they were competitive during the early stages of the defeat at Manchester United.
The Tractor Boys have earned six points after four matches, having taken 16 matches to do so during their previous Premier League campaign in 2024-25.
However, they are only the third team in the competition's history to earn six points at this stage while conceding as many as 10 goals.
The juxtaposition of Ipswich's points and goals-against tallies point to a side playing more open football than in their tactical approach to the top flight two years ago.
A key part of that increased ambition has been the threat posed by summer signing Julio Enciso. The 22-year-old tops most of Ipswich's attacking metrics, including touches in the opposition box (14), shots (14) and dribbles (20), while he has also drawn more fouls resulting in a card for an opponent than any other Premier League player this season.
[BBC]Enciso also has form for troubling Everton having scored to help earn a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park in May 2025 while on loan from Brighton, on Ipswich's most recent trip to the blue half of Merseyside.
The hero last time out, however, was Zian Flemming, another summer signing scoring his first goal for the club in the 90th minute to seal a 3-2 win at Selhurst Park.
Flemming's involvement will not be lost on Moyes given Everton were reportedly interested on deadline day, nor Ipswich's summer outlay of £185m – a sharp contrast to Everton's trading profit of £25.4m.
Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil will hope the club's recruitment drive will prove decisive as he hunts a first Premier League victory as a manager against Moyes, having lost all four meetings so far.
His Everton counterpart can only hope his whole squad continues to contribute across the course of this season.