Moyes wary of European talk despite Everton's unbeaten Premier League start

Everton beat Ipswich Town 1-0 at home thanks to an 11th-minute goal from Thierno Barry, extending their unbeaten run to five games and lifting them to fifth in the Premier League with nine points after a month of action. The Toffees have two wins and three draws in the league, plus two Carabao Cup victories that set up a home last-16 tie against Newcastle in October.

Despite the promising start, manager David Moyes declined to discuss European qualification, pointing to how badly last season ended. A 3-0 win over Chelsea in March had put Everton eighth, just three points off a Champions League spot, but the team then went seven games without a win and finished the season 13th, missing out on all European places.

Defence leads the way

Everton's solid start has been built on defensive strength, with five clean sheets in seven matches overall. This has come despite a thin attacking line-up, with Barry now the club's only recognised striker after Beto's move to Fiorentina and attacking midfielder Iliman Ndiaye's transfer to Manchester City on deadline day.

Moyes acknowledged his side still needs to improve in front of goal, noting that 21 shots against Ipswich produced only two on target. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said the win was a satisfying way to close out this stretch of fixtures before the international break, with Everton's next league match against Hull City on 11 October.

Former England midfielder and BBC pundit Danny Murphy praised Everton's organisation and defensive solidity, saying the squad remains well balanced and capable of grinding out results despite fan frustration over the club's transfer strategy in attacking areas.