By Ross KilvingtonHopes were high that new surroundings could spur the Toffees towards a potential European challenge, especially with David Moyes undergoing a full pre-season in his second spell.In the end, those on the blue half of Merseyside had to make do with a 13th place finish in the Premier League, winning just six league games at their new home.Over the summer, Moyes made five signings in a bid to bolster his squad, bringing in Hayden Hackney, Brennan Johnson, Tyrique George, Christian Nørgaard and Merlin Röhl.Three of those signings started in Everton’s opening 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the weekend and things suddenly look bright again.The star of the show was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, however, who was a step above everyone else on the pitch.Dewsbury-Hall’s player traits compared to similar players in Top 5 leagues.Should he play like that every week, the Toffees might just find themselves in the European places come the end of the campaign.A statement performance against Crystal PalaceYou have to go back all the way to August 2021 for Everton’s last opening day Premier League victory. Of course, plenty of teams have lost their opening game and still enjoyed excellent seasons, yet Everton haven’t finished higher than 13th in each campaign that began with a defeat.Step forward Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder delivered a statement of intent with his performance on Saturday afternoon. So impressive was his display, the Englishman received an 8.4 rating on FotMob, the highest of anyone on the pitch.He made eight defensive contributions across the 90 minutes, but it was his energetic nature and liveliness in the opposition half that had the supporters off their seats throughout the game.Indeed, Dewsbury-Hall created two chances, registered three shots and completed seven passes into the final third for his teammates.The performance was characterised by his superbly taken goal in the first-half. Receiving the ball just inside the box, Dewsbury-Hall created a yard of space before unleashing a ferocious shot into the far corner to give Everton the lead.That moment of magic is why Moyes splashed out approximately £28m to sign the midfielder in the summer of 2025 and he was certainly impressed with his goal, although not surprised.“He does that in training a lot, that’s what he’s got, that quality in the final third, great finish from him.” Said Moyes following the game.The shot map for Dewbury-Hall’s goal vs. PalaceThe supporters will be hoping this is a sign of things to come from the former Chelsea midfielder. After his lacklustre spell at Stamford Bridge, which wasn’t his fault due to lack of gametime, Dewsbury-Hall now has a platform on which to showcase his wide range of talents on a regular basis.David Moyes can provide the best environment for Dewsbury-Hall to shineMoyes knows how to bring the best out of a player who has perhaps endured a difficult spell such as the one Dewsbury-Hall had at Chelsea.Throughout his single season at Stamford Bridge, the 27-year-old was limited to only two Premier League starts across 13 appearances, although he did feature heavily during the Conference League success, scoring four goals in 13 matches as the Blues won the trophy.He has enjoyed a new lease of life on Merseyside, however, and it is all thanks to the impact of Moyes.“I love working with David Moyes,” said the midfielder midway through his first season at the club.“Ever since I came through the door, he said ‘look, I know what your about as a player, I want you to express yourself, I want you to show people what you can do’. I respect him so much.“He might be one of the oldest managers in the league, but I swear, he’s one of the hardest working, so big credit to him for that.”Dewsbury-Hall registered 14 goal contributions last term – eight goals and six assists – the most across the entire squad.Dewsbury-Hall’s past few seasons summarisedDuring his single season at Chelsea, the Englishman was regularly deployed in a deeper lying role than he was used to, while featuring out wide on a few occasions.His best role, though, is operating just behind the forward in a 4-2-3-1 system, a position in which he thrived in last term. indeed, of his 14 goal involvements, 12 came while playing in that number 10 role for the Toffees.Against Palace, Moyes began the campaign by sticking to his 4-2-3-1 and with Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong as the two central midfielders, Dewsbury-Hall was given free reign to cause chaos in the final third.It worked a treat, with the midfielder thriving in his natural position as he led Everton to their first opening day victory since 2021.Everton have spent years searching for a midfielder that can take matches by the scruff of the neck and be a gamechanger in the final third.In Dewsbury-Hall, the Toffees finally have one. His intelligence, technically ability and end-product gives Moyes a player that flourishes within his system.If he can replicate that display against Palace throughout the entire season, then Everton’s European ambitions aren’t just fanciful, they are a realistic proposition.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.