David Moyes
Everton manager David Moyes has been closely monitoring the progress of Harrison Armstrong, who is currently on loan at Preston North End. The young midfielder has been earning rave reviews for his performances in the Sky Bet Championship, and Moyes recently watched him in action against Sheffield United at Deepdale. Armstrong’s loan move, sanctioned on deadline day, was intended to provide him with more first-team opportunities, and it appears to be yielding positive results.
David Moyes said: “Harrison played well. He doesn’t look out of place in any way. I think it’s good for him. I think he’s playing at a good team in Preston at the moment.”
Armstrong has managed to break into the Preston first team despite their strong start to the campaign. His consistent performances have not gone unnoticed, and he has become a regular starter, playing the full 90 minutes in his last five consecutive matches. Moyes, who had initially hesitated to let Armstrong leave on loan, is now seeing the benefits of his decision as the teenager gains valuable experience.
Paul Heckingbottom said: “He came late, which we accept that has to happen a lot when you’re taking young talented Premier League players who’ve been with the squad. He arrived when we’d been winning games but he knows how much we like him and how much we rate him and he’s participating in every game. He’s jumping at the bit to start and he is ready to start, I’d have no problem starting him, because I know what a good player he is.”
Armstrong’s journey at Preston began with him as a substitute, but he quickly seized the opportunity to start, impressing in his debut against Hull City. His performances have been consistently strong, and reports reaching Moyes have been overwhelmingly positive. The England Under-19 international has shown maturity beyond his years, handling the physical demands of regular first-team football with aplomb.
David Moyes said: “I think it looks as though he is playing well and he’s still got more to do – we’d always look for more – but there’s not that many 18-year-olds who do the physicality and the continuation of the amount of games they play, like they play Tuesday, now they’re on again Friday night. So that will do Harrison no harm to be put through the ringer a little bit.”
Moyes’ decision to loan out Armstrong was facilitated by the late addition of Merlin Rohl to Everton’s squad. This move allowed Moyes to provide Armstrong with the opportunity to develop further in the Championship. Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom has expressed his delight at having Armstrong in his squad, recognizing the player’s drive and self-expectation as key attributes.
Paul Heckingbottom said: “He’s a driven lad, he puts expectation on himself.”
As Armstrong continues to impress at Preston, both Moyes and Heckingbottom will be keenly observing his development, with the hope that he will return to Everton as a more seasoned and confident player.
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