The first act of Everton's January transfer window was to recall Harrison Armstrong from his loan spell with Preston North End. The second may well be to determine where his immediate future lies.

David Moyes was clear ahead of the Brentford game that, should the conditions allow, he would like Armstrong to return to Deepdale. As much as the Blues boss would love to support the Premier League promotion push by Preston, a club he shares a deep history with, it was clear the experience being gained by Armstrong was valuable and enhancing his development.

Moyes, like when he sanctioned the initial deal in September, is well aware Armstrong will benefit more from being a key part of that Championship battle than being a squad player filling out the bench at Everton - even if such a thin squad means opportunities will come up for top flight exposure.