Everton manager David Moyes has praised Tyler Dibling's recent development and set a clear challenge for Harrison Armstrong to add goals and assists to his game.
The Toffees host Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with Moyes keen to see his young English players continue their progress.
Dibling's Growing Confidence
Dibling, a £35 million signing from Southampton in the summer of 2025, played only 350 minutes of Premier League football in his first season at Everton.
His opportunities diminished further after the winter transfer window closed, when he played just one additional minute, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Moyes believes the winger has recently shown greater confidence and determination, although his involvement with England's Under-21 team interrupted a period when he was beginning to receive more playing time.
"Tyler has made a big difference lately. He's been a little bit unlucky.
He was just getting a little bit more minutes, then he went away with England, so he wasn't with us for three weeks," Moyes said.
"Maybe we could have kept him going, but he went away with England, so I've got to get him back on it again."
The manager pointed to Dibling's willingness to challenge opponents and his performance against Hull City, where he beat a defender, reached the byline and delivered a cross.
"But I actually think Tyler's starting to show more.
He's starting to grow a pair, and he's starting to have a bit more devilment in his game, which we need," Moyes added.
"It's a bit like that when you come to Everton. You're going to have to do all those bits as well.
We want you to be the player, but there's another side to it as well for us."
"Against Hull, he beat the boy, got to the byline and put a cross in. I was really pleased with that.
I think he's just beginning to show a little bit more, so I'm hoping that Tyler will come to the fore."
Armstrong's Impact and Transfer Saga
Armstrong has made an even greater immediate impact.
The 19-year-old has started every Premier League game of Everton's unbeaten league run this season, earning a regular place despite Moyes initially expecting his adaptation to take longer.
His future became a major talking point in August when Nottingham Forest made a £40 million offer.
Everton supporters protested against a potential sale during the team's 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on August 29, and the club subsequently ended discussions over the transfer.
Armstrong later told Everton's official television channel that the supporters' intervention had strengthened his connection with the club.
"The support has meant the world to me and my family.
In a moment where… I understand it's part of the game and you're going to have to experience moments like that, but for a fanbase to get involved and show as much support as they did, is special," Armstrong said.
The midfielder added that the reaction had affected his confidence and his sense of belonging at Everton.
"I don't think I've seen that before. It's given me confidence, it's made me feel loved.
And it's cemented that this is the place to be for me."
Armstrong had already signed a three-and-a-half-year contract in February 2025, running until June 2028 with an option for another year.
The Liverpool Echo reported that a new agreement could follow his emergence as a regular first-team player.
James Tarkowski also praised Armstrong's response to the transfer speculation, highlighting his performance at Bournemouth despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
"I've been on the end of transfer rumours and it's not easy, so for a kid of his age to go and perform the way he did today with all that speculation around him, fair play," Tarkowski said.
"He's a super talented kid, a massive character in our dressing room and we all love him. I'd want him here, of course.
He's been super important so far to us, but it shows how much of a good player he is with all that speculation around him."
"Harrison has been brilliant. I've known him for four or five years now.
His potential is massive and he's already improved so much. He's also a massive character in that dressing room for such a young kid."
Moyes has also drawn comparisons between Armstrong and Declan Rice, whom he coached at West Ham United before the midfielder developed into an England international and joined Arsenal in 2023.
Moyes sees similarities in their work rate and character but stressed that Armstrong still has areas to improve at 19.
"Declan has got an unbelievable engine and real good character and Harrison got a lot of that about him.
Declan wanted to find a way of scoring goals a little bit after the first year where he played a bit deeper," Moyes said.
"Then he wanted to show he could score a few goals and people were saying: 'well, you have to score goals.'
You've got to remember Declan was probably a few years older than what Harrison is at the moment."
"Declan was nearly a centre-half in the early days at West Ham until he moved back into midfield.
I think it's a big name to follow.
Harrison has got other attributes but he's still got things that he has to improve on as a 19-year-old."
"Lots of bits of his play could be better but we're really pleased how quickly he's come on.
Rather than being a first-team squad player, he's now a first-team player."
The manager wants Armstrong to become more productive in advanced midfield positions, particularly by finding opportunities to score and create goals.
Everton have also been managing Christian Norgaard's Achilles problem as they work to increase their options in the defensive midfield position.
George, meanwhile, is competing for opportunities after making a positive start to his Everton career, including scoring against Manchester United.
Moyes has expressed confidence in the young forward as Everton prepare for Chelsea's visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
