A quiet wave of optimism has begun to ripple through Everton's fanbase for the first time in years. An unbeaten start to the Premier League season and a run in the Carabao Cup have given supporters rare cause for hope — though that hope remains carefully guarded.

The cautious mood follows a chaotic summer transfer window that left manager David Moyes with just 18 senior outfield players. A proposed move for AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun collapsed after a failed medical, while Iliman Ndiaye — widely regarded as Everton's standout performer — was sold to Manchester City for £65 million.

A record no club wants

Since the year 2000, Everton are the only club across England's top four divisions that has neither won a trophy nor earned promotion. Their solitary piece of silverware in over three decades remains the 1995 FA Cup, claimed in a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at the old Wembley.

Everton are one of just six clubs — alongside Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur — who have never been relegated from the Premier League. Yet that proud record has come with its share of nerve-shredding escapes. In 2022-23, Everton preserved their top-flight status on the final day by beating Bournemouth. A season earlier, they came from two goals down to defeat Crystal Palace in a thunderous night at Goodison Park.

Moments of joy in a long wait