Moyes' dream homecoming becomes a rude awakening

After the romance of the return, the reality.

- RICHARD JOLLY

David Moyes had never given up hope that Everton would summon him back but after years of dreaming, the three or four times he came close to the job, the night he was told he had it only to be informed the following morning it was instead going to Carlo Ancelotti, this homecoming lacked the happiness he wanted.

Rather, it reflected the plight that made Everton send for Moyes. Aston Villa arrived at Goodison Park having lost their previous five away league games. They departed with a victory, earned by Ollie Watkins, that took them level on points with Manchester City. Looking upwards at the Champions League places, they are in the territory Moyes’ Everton used to dwell.

When the Scot departed Goodison Park, he feared they had hit a glass ceiling because they kept coming sixth or seventh. Now they are stuck on three league victories this season, all against teams in the bottom third, and only one of them in their last 12 games. This is Everton, but not quite as Moyes remembered them.