Everton raise the curtain to their 2023-24 Premier League season when they welcome Fulham to Goodison Park this afternoon (15.00 BST).
The Toffees have one chief aim heading into the campaign - to avoid a relegation battle. For the past two years, Everton have scrapped at the foot of the table and only secured survival with a 1-0 final-day victory against AFC Bournemouth in May.
Certainly, supporters would snap up a mid-table finish if they were offered now. Sean Dyche has previously insisted there will be no easy fix for Everton, although he’s happy with the progress made during the summer.
The Toffees went unbeaten in their friendly programme - earning wins over Stade Nyonnais, Wigan, Stoke and Sporting CP along with drawing against Bolton Wanderers and AC Monza.
So far, Everton have recruited Ashley Young, Arnaut Danjuma (loan) and Youssef Chermiti. They’ll be happy to have a home fixture to open their account, with a fervent atmosphere expected inside Goodison Park.
Dyche’s troops do have some injury issues, though. Dwight McNeil has been ruled out for several weeks while Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli and Jean-Philippe Gbamin are sidelined. What’s more, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also a doubt with Everton carefully managing his progress during pre-season after being blighted by injuries over the previous two years.
With all that in mind, here's the team we predict to face Fulham.
1. GK - Jordan Pickford
Will be hoping for a strong start with a clean sheet.
2. RB - Nathan Patterson
Had an encouraging pre-season and will be determined to stay fit this term.
3. CB - James Tarkowski
Set to skipper Everton in the absence of Seamus Coleman.
4. CB - Jarrad Branthwaite
Had an excellent spell at PSV on loan last season and caught the eye since he returned.