Newly-appointed boss is already feeling the strain as he grapples with the team's goal-scoring crisis, less than a week after taking the helm at Goodison Park. Moyes made his Merseyside return on January 11, stepping in following Sean Dyche's departure.

This marks a comeback for the Scottish manager, who previously led Everton until 2013 before a disappointing stint at Manchester United. His second tenure at Everton kicked off with a 1-0 home loss to Aston Villa, courtesy of Ollie Watkins' solitary strike.

The defeat leaves Moyes' side precariously perched just above the relegation zone, especially as their fellow strugglers also suffered losses. With Everton's paltry tally of 15 goals being the second-lowest in the Premier League, Moyes faces a significant challenge.

Whether the solution lies in financial support from owners The Friedkin Group or within the squad itself, it's clear that the task is taking its toll.

"At the moment I have to find a way for the team to get a result," Moyes admitted post-Villa defeat. "I've only been here a couple of days and I'm nearly burnt out looking at how we can score more goals and how we can get players who can do that.

"With the squad we have, everybody is saying 'How are you going to find that? ' If we get someone different that's OK but we have to find ways within the squad, we have to make goals, score goals and improve our attacking play.

"They are not there trying not to play well. Maybe they are just needing someone to give them a lift and a little bit of quality to make the difference and we are just lacking that at the moment."

Three of Everton's 15 league goals this season have been scored by Dwight McNeil, who has also provided three assists. However, a knee injury has kept him out of the last six games, during which time Everton have only managed to score once.

Despite being in the bottom half of the table, Everton boast a strong defensive record, having conceded just 26 goals in 20 matches. Their defence will be put to the test in their next match against Tottenham, who have scored 43 goals this season - the second-highest tally in the league despite their inconsistent performances.

"There's no magic cure," said Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou following his team's defeat to Arsenal. "We need to work hard and go into battle on Sunday and turnaround our fortunes and our season. There are always reasons why things happen but the reality is our results and form in the league has been nowhere near good enough. That needs to change."