Harrison Armstrong has opened up on life at Everton, his time on loan at Preston North End and how club’s academy ensured he built the right mentality
Harrison Armstrong before Everton’s FA Cup defeat to Sunderland(Image: (Jess Hornby/Getty Images))
Harrison Armstrong believes Everton are a club moving in the right direction and opened up on his recent loan spell at Preston North End. As David Moyes celebrated a year in charge of the Blues at the weekend, it has been a year of transition for the club.
A Premier League table covering the 62-year-old’s 12 months at the helm reveals Everton to be sitting in tenth position, having garnered 60 points from 40 matches. And even though the Blues have only won one of their last seven games in all competitions, Armstrong believes the club remain on track to get to where they want to be.
“I think you can see that with the club changes at the club and the direction the club is going,” he said. “It’s definitely a project that people are starting to look at and starting to appreciate a lot more.
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“The club is definitely going in the right direction and I think what the fans are doing, the people at the club and the players, it’s all really positive and it feels like we’re back on track to getting to where we want to be.”
After starting the season as a member of Moyes’ first-team squad, Armstrong joined North End on deadline day in the summer. The 18-year-old midfielder went on to make 17 Championship appearances for the Lilywhites before being recalled by Everton earlier this month.
And reflecting on his time at Deepdale, the England youth international said: “It was really good. I learned a lot. I’ve been fortunate enough to be at two really good clubs on loan so far in Preston and Derby last season.
“In a short time, they’ve taught me a lot and Preston was definitely somewhere where I thought I really showed what I was capable of.
“I know there is definitely more to my game to improve on and that I can show people but really enjoyed it there and it helped me. I felt like the fans and the people there really took to me.”
Harrison Armstrong in action for Preston North End during his loan spell with the club(Image: )
Before Armstrong continued: “When you go away on loan, you’re sort of thrown in at the deep end straight away. Even in training, you’re tested by the lads.
“They want to see what you’re made of. And, yeah, it’s brought new challenges that I hadn’t had so far, so it’s really helped me.
“I think I’ve matured both on and off the pitch from having time away. It’s allowed me to see different aspects of my game and see what I can improve.
“Your’e playing against some really good opposition, different styles and different teams, so I’ve certainly taken a lot from both of the loan spells I’ve had. Now my aim is to keep progressing.”
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Armstrong has played in a number of roles in midfield, but when asked what his preferred position is, he revealed: “I think different positions, different formations and different styles can all suit me at different times.
“I can be effective going forward, but I can also be effective defensively as well. It just all depends how the game goes.
“I can adapt and I like to do a little bit of both, attacking and defensively, so maybe like a box-to-box but I’m happy to go wide and stay forward a little more, or even as a six.
“I’ve played in different roles and I feel comfortable in all of them. I’d say I’m quite versatile and I’ve got different varieties in my game that I can give and that can be effective at times.”
Harrison Armstrong during the FA Cup third round match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 10, 2026(Image: Emma Simpson/Everton FC Official Photography Library/SmartFrame)
After joining Everton aged five, Armstrong made his senior debut against Tottenham Hotspur in August 2024 and he believes the club’s academy ensured he built the right mentality.
“I think being in the academy from so young, they instil lots of personality traits and, you know, how morals of what an Everton player should be,” he told the Everton matchday programme.
“I think each person always has their own individual traits, but [the Everton morals were] always hard work and competing.
“I think I’ve kept that throughout the age groups, and I think I’ve taken to that more than other things and it’s really helped me.”
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