Moyes on 'feeling ready', Tarkowski captaincy and right-back search

Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League season-opener against Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST). Here are the key lines from his news conference: It is going to be a "difficult opening period" for Everton on the injury front. Christian Norgaard isn't fit yet, James Garner is still recovering from a hernia operation and Tim Iroegbunam will be absent for at least one game with an adductor strain. However, Moyes feels "ready" to take on his 28th year in football management. He explained: "It is always a privilege to be the manager of any Premier League club, but my longest periods have been with Everton. We had a terrific year after I took over, so let's go again." CEO Angus Kinnear telling BBC Radio Merseyside that The Friedkin Group felt missing out on Europe last season was a failure came as a "surprise". Moyes added: "I was hugely disappointed I didn't make it, I've got to say. It took me a long time to get over it this summer. I'm surprised they were disappointed, though, because there was never a time anybody told me I had to make European football." On making a strong start to the 2026-27 season: "It is hugely important. We started last season with no great ambition that we could really get into Europe but, after the first three or four games, I was sitting here talking about us having the chance to get there. It was a good feeling to talk the positive game because we did run it really close." New Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage plays a "very similar system" to his predecessor Oliver Glasner, just "with a few tweaks", so Everton should largely know what to expect on Saturday. James Tarkowski "didn't have much competition" for succeeding Seamus Coleman as club captain. However, the centre-back has plenty of competition for a starting XI spot this season. On whether Everton will sign a right-back before the transfer window closes: "I'm not the only manager looking for a right-back. It sounds as if you would find right-backs to the penny, but it isn't the case when you're looking. We have identified quite a few right-backs and put in bids, so we are right in there. We are working hard to try to get one." The current bids have "all gone by the wayside for different reasons", including injury concerns, point-blank rejections and inadequate offers. Moyes added: "Maybe the players we already have are doing a better job than the ones we think we could buy as well. We are trying to do the right thing. We are limited in funds, so we are looking at the levels of players and deciding if they are going to be better than what we already have." Jake O'Brien, Nathan Patterson, Merlin Rohl and James Garner have all "done well" at right-back during pre-season. On whether he expects more incomings: "Yes, I do. Whether it will happen or not is a different thing, but I do expect more." He doesn't want people "expecting too much too soon" from summer signing Hayden Hackney, though. The defensive midfielder has "all the right attributes" to be successful, but right now it is about "developing him". Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences Got a question about Everton? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts [BBC]