Hayden Hackney stole the show for Everton midweek and showed why he deserves more opportunities.
The current Championship Player of the Year hasn’t had the start he probably would have hoped for with the Toffees.
After a stellar campaign with Middlesbrough last season, the 24-year-old has featured in David Moyes‘ starting lineups just three times. Twice in the Carabao Cup and once in the Premier League. Those were the only three times in which he has played more than 30 minutes in a match as well.
Despite the lack of game rhythm and minutes, he still spearheaded Everton’s round 4 win over Newcastle United this past week with a goal and an assist. Maybe now he will finally start getting more opportunities – and it would come in handy given the current scenario.
Why should Hayden Hackney play more at Everton?
Individual quality
Hayden Hackney is ‘just’ one more of many promising and dynamic midfielders at Everton. He competes for minutes with the likes of James Garner, Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, all of which can perform multiple roles like himself.
But he feels more comfortable as a protagonist than most of his peers. For perspective, he ranks first in touches per 90 minutes in the Toffees squad, among those to have played 100+ minutes across all competitions this season (86.2). This is a similar return to what he averaged for Boro last year, too (88.5).
Speaking of which, Hackney was one of only two players to record 50+ tackles (68), chances created (83), shot attempts (98) and successful take-ons (54) in the Championship last season.
He also did that while chipping in with 12 goal contributions (5 goals, 7 assists). And nearly broke the same barrier in fouls conceded (56) and won (49), proving he is not afraid to get stuck in.
Now, he also owns the third highest average of chances created per90 of any Everton player so far (2.2), as well as the fourth highest in interceptions (1.1).
Short squad and the Jack Grealish situation
David Moyes remains as stubborn as ever. Not always in a bad way, though, given Everton started GW9 in the top half of the Premier League table and also in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup, with Fleetwood Town separating them from a place in the semi finals.
But the Toffees’ squad, which was already short last season, took a hit in the past tranfer window. Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson all left on deadline day and they couldn’t sign Folarin Balogun.
They have made the fifth-fewest changes to their starting XIs this Premier League season (10) and have used the sixth-fewest players overall (22).
Everton do have four wingers/wide attacking midfielders under contract: Jack Grealish, Tyrique George, Brennan Johnson and Tyler Dibling. However, Grealish has recently been suspended for ‘breaching club discipline’ and the remaining three are not starting level PL players.
We have already talked about how Moyes could change formations or at least rotate the squad a little more to keep everyone fresh. But the current scenario, if the young wingers show their shortcomings having to play larger roles than they should, could pave the way for the 63-year-old to change his approach.
It would be the perfect opportunity to implement a bit of what Unai Emery has done at Aston Villa. Fill the team with central midfielders playing everywhere on the pitch – John McGinn, George Hemmings and so on.
Hackney would be perfectly suited to play as a left-sided attacking midfielder, tucking inside with the ball and doing an even better job covering the flank defensively – as we had already mentioned a few months ago.
- READ MORE: Everton’s midfield options for 2026/27
Kim Hellberg‘s highly attacking style demanded a similar role from him when Boro had the ball. Hackney often went from a central midfielder in the double pivot to a wide midfielder with them high up the pitch pushing the opposition back.
Premier League leap
Many players struggle taking the leap from the Championship to the Premier League. Hayden Hackney, however, has played as a starter in two of three games against top-flight opposition: Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
Not to mention the two games in which he recorded goal contributions have also come against fellow PL sides: Newcastle and Manchester United.
He also had a decent cameo against current champions Arsenal, after replacing Mykolenko in the 74th minute.
Moyes may not have to ease Hackney’s transition into Premier League football for much longer. Maybe he didn’t even had to do it at all from the start. But his recent performance against the Magpies could lead to more minutes in more meaningful situations. Everton would only benefit from that.