(Credit: Imago)

Samuel Fabre

Fri 27 February 2026 20:10, UK

Dwight McNeil has just been handed a lifeline at Everton after nearly leaving the Toffees in the winter transfer window.

McNeil’s £20million move to Crystal Palace was called off after the Eagles failed to submit the relevant paperwork on time for the player’s transfer.

His partner then posted a response on social media claiming that they were both handed empty promises by the London outfit, and it was clearly a tough ordeal for the English winger.

David Moyes hasn’t placed much faith in the 26-year-old this season, and the Toffees felt they were getting a great deal from their Premier League rivals.

However, as the move didn’t go through, he could now be set for some game time after Moyes revealed that Carlos Alcaraz is injured.

• Read more: David Moyes to call upon Dwight McNeil at Everton to support European push

Carlos Alcaraz injury is good news for Dwight McNeil’s Everton career

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash against Newcastle, Moyes confirmed on Friday that Alcaraz will be out for the next few weeks.

Although he was meant to start in Monday’s 1-0 loss to Man United at Hill Dickinson Stadium, it has now emerged that he suffered an injury in training prior to the game.

The Argentine national brought some freshness to the Toffees’ midfield after joining on loan in January 2025, but since the move was made permanent in the summer, he’s struggled to make a case for himself.

With only six starts in the top flight, Alcaraz has often been the go-to man for Moyes when he needs someone to come off the bench and make an impact in the final third.

However, now that he is out for the next month, that responsibility could lie with McNeil.

As the Sofascore stats above show, he wasn’t a crucial part of Moyes’ plans, but the Scottish coach will now have turn to him as his next attacking option off the bench.

Time can go very quickly in football, and thankfully for McNeil, he’ll now have an even better chance of proving his worth to Everton in the next few months.

With his contract expiring in June 2027, a summer exit now looks likely if the Toffees want to earn any sort of transfer fee for him.

• Read more: David Moyes issues Carlos Alcaraz update ahead of Newcastle clash as Everton injury issues mount

Another Everton player will also benefit from Alcaraz’s injury

While a lot of the focus should be on McNeil’s return to the side, it could also benefit Harrison Armstrong.

The young midfielder has certainly shown some promising signs, having played in attacking midfield and on the left wing since he was recalled from his loan spell at Preston in January.

The Toffees are keen to ensure that he had regular game time before bringing him back to L4, and Moyes has incidentally placed a lot of trust in him so far.

With Alcaraz now injured, Armstrong will be poised for more minutes on the pitch, and ultimately, that could fast-track his development.

For more detailed analysis on Everton, visit Football Insider.