Everton welcome Brentford to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday for a pivotal New Year’s encounter.
The Toffees hope to build on a clinical end to 2025 following their vital 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Currently, David Moyes has led his side to eighth place in the Premier League table with 28 points. Therefore, a win could see Everton leapfrog Sunderland into seventh place, provided other results go their way.
Brentford arrive on Merseyside, enjoying their longest unbeaten league sequence under head coach Keith Andrews. The Bees most recently played out a resilient goalless draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Consequently, they sit just one point and one place behind Everton in ninth. Although they have struggled for consistency on the road, Brentford remain within touching distance of the European places. Furthermore, this match marks the Bees’ first-ever visit to Everton’s state-of-the-art new stadium.
Everton vs Brentford – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Sunday, 4 January 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: Tony Harrington
- Last Meeting: Brentford 1-1 Everton, 26 February 2025, Premier League
Team News
Everton
David Moyes received a major boost this week as Jack Grealish resumed full training. The winger missed recent action due to a severe bout of illness but is now available. Additionally, Michael Keane might feature after missing the trip to Nottingham with a minor knock. However, the hosts remain without Charly Alcaraz. Everton also continue to miss Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Seamus Coleman due to hamstring injuries. Furthermore, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye are away representing their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Brentford
Keith Andrews is managing several “little knocks” following the intense stalemate with Spurs. Nevertheless, he expects most of his squad to be fit for the trip to Liverpool. Sepp van den Berg is fully available again after returning to the matchday squad on New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, Mathias Jensen is recovering well from a recent bug. In contrast, the visitors are missing Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka due to AFCON commitments. Fabio Carvalho, Joshua Dasilva, and Antoni Milambo also remain long-term absentees with knee injuries.
Form
Everton
The Toffees have rediscovered their defensive identity under David Moyes. Remarkably, each of Everton’s last five league victories has come with a clean sheet. Jordan Pickford has secured eight shutouts this term, trailing only David Raya in the division. However, the attack remains a concern as Everton average just 3.1 shots on target per game.
Brentford
The Bees boast a potent attack that averages 1.56 goals per game. Igor Thiago has been the standout performer, leading the team with 11 goals this season. Conversely, their away form is a major weakness. Only bottom-side Wolves have lost more away games than Brentford this campaign.
Predicted Lineups
Everton predicted XI: Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko; Iroegbunam, Garner; McNeil, Rohl, Grealish; Barry
Brentford predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Henderson, Janelt, Yarmolyuk; Lewis-Potter, Thiago, Schade
How to watch Everton vs Brentford?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage begins at 14:00 GMT on Sunday, ahead of the 15:00 kick-off.
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