SM
Barcelona vs. Valencia: 22 hrs 23 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
EL
Club Friendlies
Aug 5, 2023 at 3pm UK
 
SL

1-0

Calvert-Lewin (45' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Everton vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Everton vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's friendly clash between Everton and Sporting Lisbon, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Everton welcome Sporting Lisbon to Goodison Park on Saturday in both club's final friendly before the start of the new season.

This will be the last bit of preparation for both sides before they get their campaigns underway next Saturday.


Match preview

Everton, once again, look like they will enter the campaign not fully prepared for the new season.

For the second season running, it appears the Toffees will start without a suitable option to start up front.

After losing Yerry Mina and Conor Coady too, Everton are yet to bring in any centre-back reinforcements, with no links having been made yet.

Youssef Chermiti could arrive in time to play against the club he is expected to leave in the coming days, but at just 19, he is unlikely to be thrust straight into the first team.

On a positive note though, Neal Maupay and Lewis Dobbin both found the net in Everton's 2-2 behind-closed-doors friendly draw with Monza on Tuesday, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin did get some minutes.

Dobbin especially has starred in pre-season for Everton, and he could feature again, with manager Sean Dyche reportedly impressed with what he has seen from the youngster.

Everton are still unbeaten in pre-season, winning three and drawing twice, and the goals conceded against Monza were just the second and third they have let in so far.

Preparation among the rest of the squad is taking shape though, as Dyche was able to call upon more first-team options for the trip to Stoke City last weekend.

Everton kick their season off against Fulham and their former manager Marco Silva at Goodison Park next Saturday.

Sporting were disappointing in the Portuguese top flight last season, finishing fourth behind Braga, and a long way behind champions and local rivals Benfica.

However, pre-season form suggests they may have turned a corner with some excellent results so far.

A pair of 3-0 wins over both Real Sociedad and Villarreal in the past week will mean the Lions arrive in England with plenty of confidence.

It was a poor record before the World Cup which ultimately cost them any sort of success last season, as only Porto and Juventus beat Sporting since early January.

Sporting have Viktor Gyokeres in their ranks now, a player Everton were reportedly after earlier in the summer, and whose arrival is what is opening up Chermiti's move to Goodison.

The Swede scored 40 goals in the past two seasons for Coventry City and has already opened his account with his new club, scoring in the win over Real Sociedad.

Everton friendly form:
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D

Sporting Lisbon friendly form:
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • W
  • W



Team News

Calvert-Lewin picked up an injury on the eve of last season, but after missing the season finale, returned to play a cameo role in the recent friendly with Monza.

It is unlikely the striker will be rushed back though given his recent injury record, so he will almost certainly not play the full 90 here.

Dwight McNeil is out and being assessed after an injury picked up against Stoke has turned out to be worse than first feared.

Seamus Coleman is Everton's other injury absentee, while Demarai Gray will not be involved after it was revealed he has not been training with the side as a move to Fulham edges closer.

Jeremiah St Juste is set to be Sporting's only injury concern, as Daniel Braganca and Jovane Cabral have both returned from knocks that saw them miss the end of last season.

Gyokeres is likely to keep Paulinho on the bench again, despite the Portuguese forward's goal against Villarreal in their last outing.

Former Liverpool man Sebastian Coates is expected to return to Merseyside to captain the side in this one.

Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Young; Iwobi, Onana, Garner, Doucoure, Dobbin; Danjuma

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Eduardo Quaresma, Coates, Goncalo Inacio; Ricardo Esgaio, Morita, Pedro Goncalves, Matheus Reis; Edwards, Gyokeres, Trincao


We say: Everton 1-2 Sporting Lisbon

Sporting certainly bring more form and more quality on paper into this clash, but Everton have been solid so far in pre-season, and it should be a close encounter.

This will be the first meeting between the sides since a Europa League round of 32 clash back in 2010, when Sporting won 4-2 on aggregate despite losing the first leg at Goodison.


body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__520260 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2023-08-03 16:11:53:
html db last update - 2023-08-03 16:09:12 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Everton 'agree deal to sign Sporting Lisbon's Chermiti'
Champions Man City continue title charge with win at Forest
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal35255585285780
2Manchester CityMan City34247382325079
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs33186967521560
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea33139116359448
10Bournemouth35139135260-848
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3579194262-2026
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

This weekend's permutations: Who can be crowned champions, win promotion or suffer relegation?

1

TW

Five potential free agents Man Utd should target this summer

2

FP

Nuno takes positives from Forest defeat, comments on Wood miss

NEW

3

NT

Darmstadt relegated from Bundesliga with home loss to Heidenheim

NEW

4

DR

Champions Man City continue title charge with win at Forest

5

CM

Mikel Arteta hails "sensational" Arsenal star after derby victory

6

MA

"Nothing has changed" - Xavi insists "key" Barca star will stay at club

7

&H

"He was outstanding" - Postecoglou hails Tottenham star after derby defeat

8

&W

Bukayo Saka matches Ian Wright feats in pulsating North London derby

9

BS

"A threat" - Ten Hag praises much-criticised Man United man

10

&T


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .