2025-26 Preseason Recap | Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Everton

McNeil in action at Ewood Park | Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

For Everton’s second game of the preseason, the team headed across to near neighbours Blackburn Rovers this afternoon, where the Blues succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at historic Ewood Park.

David Moyes rung the changes from Tuesday evening’s outing against League Two side Accrington Stanley, making four alterations to the lineup. In from the start were Beto, who scored from the penalty spot midweek, Jake O’Brien, new goalkeeper Mark Travers, along with Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye — both returning from an extended

break, following international duty for Senegal. Missing out were Youssef Chermiti, Michael Keane, Harrison Armstrong, Tim Iroegbunam and Harry Tyrer, all of whom made the bench.

With the hosts around a week ahead of the Toffees, in their preparation for the new Championship campaign, which commences on August 9th, they looked much the sharper side, particularly in the opening stages. The game had barely kicked off before Everton found themselves a goal behind. In the seventh minute Rovers moved the ball from deep in their own half, their passing too quick for the visitors to deal with. Jarrad Branthwaite was caught trying to put pressure on in midfield and was easily bypassed, with O’Brien and Nathan Patterson pulled across in an attempt to fill in the gap the centre half had left, with attacking players flooding forward.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Patterson did himself some good with a positive attacking performance

The Blues were caught out, three on two, leaving an overlap on the far post for new signing Dion De Neve to tap home past the helpless Travers from close range. It looked ugly, but to work out this kind of torpor and rust before it actually matters, in competitive action, is why these games are played. With Blackburn looking comfortable, the Toffees didn’t get going at all for almost 20 minutes, looking a bit ponderous as they tried to play out from the back. There wasn’t much movement in evidence and the Lancastrians found it easy to deal with.

After that point, though, the Premier League outfit started establishing their superiority, with Carlos Alcaraz combining well with Dwight McNeil on a couple of occasions, with the right winger playing very narrow. Everton’s best route to goal seemed to come from Patterson, who overcame a hesitant start to grow into the match, pushing forward into the big empty space left by McNeil, to much greater effect than Vitaliy Mykolenko on the opposite flank. The Scot, whose future at the club is in doubt, put in a few strong crosses before being withdrawn, and looks likely to be handed another start against Bournemouth, in the USA next weekend.

The 23-year-old was substituted off in the 58th minute, alongside Gueye and Ndiaye, with O’Brien slotted over to right back and Keane, Armstrong and young winger Isaac Heath introduced. Chermiti and youngster Justin Clarke came on in the 70th for Alcaraz and Beto (who again gave it everything today), with midfielder Jenson Metcalfe replacing McNeil. Of the novices, the latter caught the eye a little with his composure on the ball. Otherwise, only Armstrong made an impact from the bench, putting in a couple of nice balls to start attacks. With so many changes, the game drifted into its final quarter, with little of note occurring.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Alcaraz looked lively this afternoon

So, the Blues suffered their first loss of the summer schedule — which matter not a lot. Several players looked sharper than they had only several days earlier, against what is a solid second tier outfit, and all will be the better for the run out. The team will fly out to the US early next week, ahead of what should prove to be an instructive American tour. Of course, the question on the lips of many Everton fans is: will there be any additions made to the squad between now and next Saturday’s game against the Cherries, at the MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey? It’s apparent where the gaps are, which need filling, but it’s also important that the club gets in the right players, rather than looking for quick, easy fixes of lesser quality.

Lineup graphics provided courtesy of sofascore.com

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