David Moyes could unleash 'unpredictable' Everton tactic as new Carlos Alcaraz transfer insight given

David Moyes could unleash Everton new boy Carlos Alcaraz in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.

Alcaraz moved to the Toffees on loan from Brazilian club Flamengo on January transfer deadline day. And the attacking midfielder made an eye-catching impression when coming off the bench for his debut in last Saturday’s 2-0 loss to AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round.

Brought on in the 65th minute, Alcaraz hit the post with a free-kick and added more thrust and dynamism. Fellow substitutes Jack Harrison and Tim Iroegbunam also caught the eye.

‘Unpredictable’

Everton’s attention turns back to the Premier League as they face Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday. Speaking after the Bournemouth game, Moyes revealed he was pleased with Alcaraz and he makes the Blues more unpredictable in terms of selection.

The Everton boss said: “I was really pleased and I was also pleased with Jack Harrison. He put in three or four great deliveries at a time that we needed it. Tim came one, we're half-nursing him back to fitness. The biggest thing for me is to find and have some competition in the team and have some players we can and could use. I thought those players showed to me they could do that.

“It will be too early for me to give that thought [whether Alcaraz starts] because I'm just off the pitch and getting my head around it. I just felt there was a slightly different element, it gives us more decisions which would make us more unpredictable if we can have that whether we've got them or not. I was pleased with what he showed, he had a great effort with the free-kick which hits the post. I thought he started really well.”

Transfer insight

Everton’s swoop for Alcaraz came somewhat of a surprise. He only left Southampton last summer to join Flamengo for a club-record fee of £16 million. However, he was down the pecking order at the Rio de Janeiro-based side. Moyes lifted the lid on how Everton were alerted to Alcaraz’s availability which they pounced on rather than him being a firm transfer target at the start of the window.

Moyes, who guided the Blues to four Merseyside derby wins during his first spell in the Goodison hot seat, added: “We knew about him but it was mainly because of, more than anything if I'm being honest, his availability if I'm being really honest. The recruitment team knew a bit about him but we knew about him when he was at Southampton.”