The pre-season is off and running, with some Premier League clubs already notching up the games over the past week. Fulham, Everton, Burnley, Wolves and City have all been in action, while Stoke and West Ham kick-off today.
Things continue throughout the week as Blackburn travel to Cambridge United on Tuesday, Liverpool take on St Gallen in Switzerland on Wednesday, the same day that Spurs get their pre-season underway at Exeter. Steve Bruce has his first game in charge of Sunderland at Darlington on Thursday. The majority of teams then get started next weekend.
It’s all early days of course, with little indication at this stage on how the sides will be lining up come the Premier League kick-off. Even so, pre-season does provide a form guide of sorts, so it’s worth monitoring results and team selections throughout the summer. With that in mind, here’s a quick catch-up on the results so far…
Fulham have been the most active side to this point, completing their second friendly in Australia against Melbourne Victory on Saturday. They ran out 3-0 winners in this one with Andy Johnson getting the first from the spot after he was typically bundled over in the box by the Melbourne keeper. Sub Eddie Johnson made it 2-0 mid-way through the second-half, leaving fellow substitute Erik Nevland, to make it 3-0 with 18 minutes left on the clock. Hodgson’s side had previously lost out 2-1 to Gold Coast United on Wednesday, Danny Murphy getting the Fulham strike from a direct free-kick.
The Fulham boss put out fairly strong sides in both games with Schwarzer, Paintsil, Murphy, Adranik, Gera, Seoul and Zamora starting on both occasions. It’s worth noting that the likes of Simon Davies, Clint Dempsey, Paul Konchesky and Brede Hangeland were all omitted from the squad for this tour – for one reason or another. Hangeland’s absence is perhaps most significant here given the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Much-fancied fantasy target Sylvan Ebanks-Blake offered us a reminder of his quality, poaching the only goal as Wolves ran out 1-0 winners over Perth Glory in Australia on Friday. The win was tainted however, by an injury to striker Chris Iwelumo who suffered a broken metatarsal and will now miss the early part of the season.
Everton suffered defeat in their first game of the Summer on Saturday, going down 2-1 to Bury at Gigg Lane. Louis Saha got the Toffee’s goal, glancing home a Leighton Baines free-kick delivery. Moyes started with a young side, boosted by the experience of Neville, Baines and Saha. Predictably he made wholesale changes after the break with Jo and new signings Shkodran Mustafi and Anton Peterlin, getting in on the action.
Premier League newcomers Burnley also started their pre-season with a defeat, going down 2-1 at Bradford after Graham Alexander had given them the lead. Boss Owen Coyle put out a strong side in this one with new signings Tyrone Mears and striker Steven Fletcher, both in the starting lineup. Fellow new boy, David Edgar started on the bench.
Man City put out a young side in Saturday evening’s friendly with second division German outfit 1860 Munich and earned a 1-1 draw. It was a familiar name that got the City goal however, Valeri Bojinov turning home a second-half equaliser. He and fellow Bulgarian Martin Petrov, along with Stephen Ireland, Pablo Zabaleta and new signing Stuart Taylor in goal, were the only recognised first team names in a youthful lineup.