Everton extended their unbeaten record to eight matches this season with a 2-2 draw at Hull City at the MKM Stadium on October 11, 2026. The Blues had a first-half opener from Brennan Johnson ruled out for offside after referee Michael Salisbury consulted the pitchside monitor, and fell behind in the second half when Joe Gelhardt scored.
David Moyes' men turned the game on its head with efforts from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry, but were denied a first away success this term when Tigers substitute Mohamed Belloumi restored parity.
Mixed fortunes for Barry and Maitland-Niles
Ian Whittell of The Times picked up on the contrasts between Everton's transfer window and their unbeaten start, plus Thierno Barry being guilty of a potential miss of the season then going on to score.
Two of the Premier League's early-season overachievers continued to punch above their weight at the MKM Stadium, although the Everton manager, David Moyes, will be vexed that his team did not collect all three points, given the poor hand he has been dealt by the club's soon-to-be-departing owners.
A borderline catastrophic summer transfer window left Everton with a thin, unbalanced squad that has Thierno Barry as its only recognised striker and the former England international, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, as one of the few close-season arrivals. Both featured prominently, and not entirely positively, as Everton maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Barry, having spurned three glorious chances — including one that has already settled the Premier League's miss-of-the-season competition — eventually scored a magnificent goal that handed his team a 2-1 lead on 68 minutes. But only six minutes later — and for the second time in the afternoon — Maitland-Niles was guilty of an error that led to a Hull goal which, while deserved, denied Moyes the chance to end a turbulent week with a victory that would have lifted his team into the top four.
'Curious times' at Everton
Ross Heppenstall of the Daily Mail also saw the paradox with Everton being up for sale but performing well on the pitch despite challenging conditions.
These are curious times at Everton, one of English football's grand old institutions with owners that want out but whose unbeaten start to the season continued after a thrilling second half. After a goalless opening 45 minutes, the game ignited in exhilarating fashion.
Boyhood Liverpool supporter Joe Gelhardt fired Hull ahead but Everton hit back to lead with goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry before home substitute Mohamed Belloumi kept his composure to rifle home a superb equaliser. In the end, a draw felt about right after an absorbing encounter which capped a turbulent few days for Everton boss David Moyes, his players and supporters.
On Friday morning, and just 22 months after taking over from Farhad Moshiri, confirmation that The Friedkin Group wish to sell the club arrived. The news came as no real surprise after last term's top scorer Beto and prized asset Iliman Ndiaye were both sold on deadline day.
Attempts to cash in on highly rated teenager Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest were kiboshed after fans threatened to riot. Nevertheless, it was a calamitous transfer window which left Moyes with just 18 outfield players and one striker. And yet despite everything, Everton are now unbeaten in six Premier League games, although they let slip a lead after coming from behind during the second half.
Gelhardt, a Scouser and boyhood Liverpool fan who spent time in the youth ranks at Everton before being released, opened the scoring with a neat finish in the 48th minute. Gelhardt celebrated in style but the visitors levelled seven minutes later, though, with a close-range header from Dewsbury-Hall and Barry then blasted home a second with 22 minutes remaining. Yet Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic has fashioned some spirit in his side and Belloumi fired home a superb 74th-minute equaliser to deny Everton victory.
Uncertainty amid an unbeaten run
In the ECHO, Christopher Beesley referenced Everton being put up for sale ahead of the fixture but extending their unbeaten run despite yet another controversial refereeing decision.
Incredibly, Everton remain unbeaten eight matches into this season, but in a game that was played against the backdrop of The Friedkin Group putting the club up for sale, we saw at Hull City exactly why loyal but long-suffering Blues supporters felt let down by their owners in the transfer market this summer.
Little more than 48 hours before their side went to the MKM Stadium, Evertonians, plus the manager, players and club staff, were all awoken to news that less than 22 months after they had completed their takeover from Farhad Moshiri, the Blues' absentee landlords from Texas were prepared to call time on their Merseyside investment.
The timing, at the end of an extended three-week international break, might be deemed to be an unwelcome distraction, but, as David Moyes remarked, in a bullish, but considered pre-match press conference that showed why he's exactly the right man to lead in such circumstances, long-term the club deserves a set of owners that share the passion of both himself and the fans.
Other than the prospect of selling up, predictably, the other main topic of conversation was the Manchester City guilty verdict. Given that Everton were twice handed points deductions for single PRR breaches, Moyes remarked how he hoped it wasn't just them who get picked on because he feels they get picked on by referees, and right on cue, there was more controversy here.
