Everton review of 2024-25: Fresh hope from Friedkin takeover, Moyes’ return, Tarkowskiiiiii

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“The end of one era, but the start of another we can all be excited about”.

Those were the words of Everton coach Leighton Baines as the club said farewell to Goodison Park this month.

The 2024-25 season has not been without its fair share of turmoil and upheaval for Everton, but the club can now look forward with fresh hope following the arrival of new owners The Friedkin Group (TFG) and David Moyes’ return as manager in January.

With a big summer to come, the next chapter promises to be just as intriguing as the last.

Here, The Athletic reviews Everton’s season just gone, which ended with an impressive 1-0 away win at Newcastle United on Sunday.

This season will be remembered as…

The one where everything changed for Everton.

The men’s team said a long, emotional goodbye to Goodison, their home of 133 years, while new owners TFG brought to an end a protracted and, at times, fraught takeover process that left the club scrambling for survival.

Moyes replaced Sean Dyche as manager in January. Director of football Kevin Thelwell’s contract was not renewed, with Angus Kinnear joining in May as CEO. A rebuild behind the scenes and of the playing squad is underway.

What comes next is anyone’s guess, but Everton appear to be in capable hands under Moyes and on much more stable financial footing with TFG.

Game of the season

Everton 2-2 Liverpool. What else?

Goodison’s final (men’s) derby had it all: goals, a mass brawl after the final whistle, just moments after James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute equaliser.

The whole affair was angry and tempestuous right until the end, just the way the Old Lady likes it.

Players had to be pulled apart at the final whistle of the final Goodison derby (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

For all the predictable taunts from rival fans over the ‘2-2 win’, it meant so much to players and supporters to avoid defeat in the final Goodison derby.

Moments like these are meant to be celebrated and savoured.

Goal of the season

Tarkowski, 97:08, at the Gwladys Street to draw Everton level in the last Goodison derby. A thunderous volley that immediately went into club folklore.

“It was mental,” Tarkowski later said. “I had an 80-year-old grabbing me and a five-year-old kid pulling me to the floor. There were stewards everywhere. It was chaos but it shows what a moment it is.

“I’ve had a couple of promotions and played for my country but with everything happening now, leaving this iconic stadium, it will be the biggest of my career.”

A thunderbolt from Tarkowski! 🚀#EVELIV highlights are out now ⤵️

— Everton (@Everton) February 12, 2025

Moment of the season

I’ll forever remember Goodison’s send-off against Southampton.

It felt like a day-long celebration of this place that’s been like a second home to so many, and was full of poignant moments.

My favourite was all four corners of Goodison singing ‘There She Goes’ by The La’s in unison before kick off. Spontaneous, powerful and hardly a dry eye in the house.

What was your favourite part of yesterday? #EndOfAnEra

We’ll start: a packed Goodison singing ‘There She Goes’ before kick-off. 🔊😍

Goosebumps. pic.twitter.com/2J4Mlcltlp

— Everton (@Everton) May 19, 2025

It was the soundtrack of the day and may be adopted as an Everton anthem at the new stadium.

I still get goosebumps watching it all back now.

Did that really happen?

“The run isn’t bad on paper if you add wins to it,” Dyche said after the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth in January. Just one small problem there, Sean…

At that point, he looked and sounded like a beaten man — someone who had lost a grasp on reality. His exit was confirmed the following week.

Favourite quote

“We had unbelievable times here over the years and we need to start rebuilding again,” Moyes said after the Southampton game. “This club felt to me like one big family, but looked broken, felt broken and it doesn’t feel like that any more.

Moyes’ return in January changed the course of Everton’s season (DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

“I hope the owners are recognising what they’re seeing today as well because this has to be built up to get us back to where we belong.”

Bravo. Everton appear more comfortable in their own skin since his return, but now must kick on again and arrest years of decline.

Biggest surprise

The ease with which Moyes moved Everton clear of relegation trouble.

Granted, the bottom three have been desperately poor, but the extent of the progress since his arrival has taken even him by surprise.

Moyes looked genuinely concerned after the 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in his first game back. But by March, Everton were effectively safe.

It made for a stress-free end to the season and has allowed supporters to make the most of the final matches at Goodison.

The funniest moment

In the foreground, an irate Arne Slot has a meltdown after Tarkowski’s late derby equaliser. Behind him, Jordan Pickford knee slides out of shot. Some say he’s still going.

The juxtaposition was delicious.

Some say, Jordan Pickford is still sliding through Goodison 🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/Khf6VPWuHG

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 13, 2025

Best performance by an opposition player

I’m struggling to think of an obvious standout, but Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol, Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo and Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White all impressed for their teams at Goodison.

Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee too, bizarrely, in the galling 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford — but I put that aberration down to Everton’s inadequacies.

The worst? Every Leicester City performance when they came to Merseyside in February.

Rate the manager’s season out of 10

Dyche gets a three. He did a brilliant job helping Everton navigate the off-field turmoil and points deductions last season, but lacked solutions as soon as things started going wrong this time around. By the end, everyone — including Dyche — was ready for a change.

An eight for Moyes, who has Everton performing more like a European contender than relegation battler. Everton have picked up 31 points from 19 games since his arrival, which would work out at around 61 points across an entire campaign.

A breath of fresh air, in every sense.

The issue that will dominate the summer

Put simply, the need for new players. Squad overhauls of this ilk don’t come round very often, particularly not for established Premier League sides.

Whether that’s a blessing or a curse remains to be seen, but the amount of scope is exciting if Everton can make it work.

This time next year we’ll be saying…

“After a season of consolidation, will Everton push on to the next level?”

(Top photo: Tarkowski celebrates his last-gasp leveller against Liverpool in February. Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

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