The 2026 World Cup is now over, and attention quickly turns back to Fantasy Premier League ahead of the new season.

Pre-season friendlies are now underway, offering FPL managers an early look at how teams are shaping up before Gameweek 1.

In this article, we’ll focus on Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Everton, analysing their formations, starting line-ups, goals, assists and standout performances. We’ll also cover any other notable talking points that could influence early FPL decisions.

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CRYSTAL PALACE 5-1 SWINDON

• Goals: Franca x3, Nketiah x2
• Assists: Esse, Doucoure, Canvot

First-half XI: Benitez, Adaramola, Walker-Smith, Mitchell, Mingueza, Hughes, Ozoh, Rak-Sakyi, Esse, Nketiah

Second-half XI: Matthews, Jemide, Canvot, Benamar, Sosa, Cardines, Devenny, Doucouré, Drakes-Thomas, Johnson, França.

NOTES

• Crystal Palace travelled without several first-team regulars following the World Cup. Ismaïla Sarr, Daichi Kamada, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Maxence Lacroix, Daniel Muñoz and Chris Richards all remained on their post-tournament breaks.
• Meanwhile, @BobbyManzi reported that Adam Wharton missed the match with a knock. Speculation over a potential move to Chelsea also continued to gather pace.
• New boss Pierre Sage immediately deployed his preferred back-three system with wing-backs. The Frenchman enjoyed great success with the shape at Lens last season, guiding the club to second place in Ligue 1 and Champions League qualification. Tyrick Mitchell started at left wing-back, while new signing Óscar Mingueza lined up on the opposite flank. Neither wing-back managed to make a significant impact.
• Eddie Nketiah, who started just 12 Premier League matches last season, opened the scoring in fortunate fashion. He blocked a Swindon clearance, with the ball bouncing kindly into the net. 11 minutes later, he grabbed his second. A neat one-two with Romain Esse created the opening, and Nketiah calmly slotted home to double Palace’s advantage.
• Will Hughes took corners and almost claimed an assist. One of his deliveries found Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from close range, but the winger couldn’t convert.
• At the other end, Walter Benítez produced an excellent penalty save after David Ozoh brought down his opponent inside the box. However, the goalkeeper couldn’t prevent Swindon from scoring soon after when they capitalised on a three-versus-three counter-attack.
• Sage made wholesale changes at the break. Cheick Doucouré, who missed the entire 2025/26 campaign through injury, came on alongside centre-back Jaydee Canvot, Borna Sosa, Justin Devenny and Brennan Johnson.
• The standout substitute proved to be Matheus França, who spent last season on loan in Brazil. The 22-year-old opened his account by lifting the ball over the goalkeeper after a deflected pass from Canvot. He then confidently converted from the penalty spot before completing his hat-trick. A high press from Doucouré forced the turnover, allowing França to keep his composure and finish clinically.
• Brennan Johnson endured a frustrating outing. He failed to take a good headed chance before blazing another effort over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.
• Overall it was a solid performance from the Eagles, but more importantly a good indication of how the new manager will set his side up moving forward.

“We had problems with the ball and I think we have to work on this to be better.

But at the moment the players are only able to play 15-20 minutes at the top level. It’s only the first week, so we need more sessions.

We’ve only had five sessions together. And we won’t have just five anymore, so I think the next game will be better.

We have possibilities to play together over the coming weeks. That’s a good thing for the team.

During Como [later this month] we will play two games there with less sessions. That game will replace the training for this kind of competition.

But we have a good condition. We have a group who want to work with us, I think they give their best every day”.

“I think this a good way to improve, both as players and as the team. I think we will continue like this.” – Pierre Sage

EVERTON 4-0 DUNDEE

• Goals: McNeil, Beto, Foster, Barry
• Assists: Alcaraz, Dewsbury-Hall

Starting XI: Travers (King at half-time), Aznou, Keane, O’Brien (Tarkowski at half-time), Rohl, Armstrong, Iroegbunam, George, Dewsbury-Hall (McNeil at half-time), Dibling, Beto (Alcaraz at half-time)

61+ minutes XI: King, Finney, Tarkowski, Tamen, Campbell, Foster, Olayiwola, McNeil, Alcaraz, Graham, Barry

NOTES

• There were no surprises from David Moyes, who stuck with the familiar 4-2-3-1 system that served Everton well last season.
• Everton managed the minutes of new signing Hayden Hackney after the injury he suffered for Middlesbrough towards the end of last season, so he didn’t feature in the squad. Jarrad Branthwaite also missed the match, although the centre-back took part in first-team training in the build-up.

“Jarrad Branthwaite has trained with the Blues all week and continues to make positive progress from the hamstring injury he sustained towards the end of last season.

“Summer signing Hayden Hackney has been successfully integrated into squad training, with that process continuing next week as planned.

“Fellow midfielder James Garner has experienced discomfort in his groin following his return to training which will be reviewed next week

“Meanwhile, Vitalii Mykolenko has returned home for the birth of his second child and will rejoin the squad in due course.” – Everton injury bulletin

• They are of course also without the likes of Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye due to the World Cup breaks.
• Adam Aznou made an encouraging impression from left-back. The former Bayern Munich defender didn’t register a goal or assist, but he looked dangerous throughout. An inviting cross went untouched, he regularly drove into the box and his quick feet in tight areas highlighted his attacking intent.
• New signing Merlin Rohl started at right-back. However, he offered far less going forward than Aznou, preferring to hold his position rather than overlap.
• It was also an important afternoon for Everton’s younger arrivals. Tyrick George, who joined from Chelsea this summer, started on the left but struggled to influence proceedings. Tyler Dibling looked lively throughout and constantly searched for space. However, he fired one effort over the bar before another shot was blocked, limiting his goal threat.
• Fantasy managers will also have noticed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who took every right-sided corner during the first half. He capped his set-piece duties with an assist.
• Beto gave Everton a deserved first-half lead. His deflected effort looped over the goalkeeper and into the net for 1-0. The striker should have scored earlier, though, after blasting wide from close range when presented with an excellent chance.
• As expected, Moyes made wholesale changes at half-time. One of the most notable introductions was Thierno Barry. The forward dragged an early effort wide but quickly made amends. His aggressive pressing forced a rushed clearance, which rebounded off him and into the net to double Everton’s advantage.
• Youngster Harvey Foster then made it 3-0. He reacted quickest after a poor clearance dropped kindly into his path and calmly poked home.
• A familiar face completed the scoring. Carlos Alcaraz squared the ball for Dwight McNeil, who finished from close range to wrap up a comfortable victory.

SUNDERLAND 5-1 YORK

• Goals: Le Fee x2, Proctor, Tuterov, Rigg
• Assists: Hume, Reinildo, Dinsdale, Tuterov, Ta Bi

Starting XI: Ellborg, Reindildo, Hume, O’Nien, Mukiele, Rigg, Browne, Bi, Le Fee, Tuterov, Ogunsuyi

Second half XI: Moore; Jones, Seelt, Hjelde (Kindon, 66), Alese; Proctor, Whittaker, Jones; Scott, Dinsdale, Geragusian

NOTES

• Régis Le Bris stuck with his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation, the same system that served Sunderland throughout last season.
• Several key players remained on their post-World Cup break and didn’t feature against York. Arthur Masuaku, Wilson Isidor, Granit Xhaka and Simon Adingra were all absent, leaving Régis Le Bris without several established first-team options.
• Sunderland produced most of their best football before the break. Enzo Le Fée opened the scoring with a superb right-footed strike into the bottom corner after Jocelyn Ta Bi picked him out. The French midfielder thought he had another moments later with an excellent lob, but the offside flag denied him.
• Le Fée didn’t have to wait long for his second. Timur Tuterov burst down the left wing before creating the chance for the Frenchman to complete his brace.
• The 21-year-old Ukrainian also impressed in his own right. Tuterov fired home an outstanding long-range effort from a tight angle and caused York problems throughout the first half. After spending last season on loan at Exeter City, he will hope to force his way into Le Bris’ plans as an attacking option this campaign.
• Sunderland also looked solid at the back during the opening 45 minutes. Reinildo Mandava stood out with a superb last-ditch tackle to deny York before adding an assist to cap an impressive display.
• Trai Hume also contributed in attack. The full-back slipped a clever pass into the area for Chris Rigg, who kept his composure and finished well.
• As expected, Le Bris changed almost the entire team after half-time. The fresh line-up invited more pressure and York eventually found a way through. Sunderland still had the final say, though, adding a fifth goal to complete a comfortable victory.
• After the match, Le Bris praised the squad’s start to pre-season and looked ahead to the club’s upcoming tour of the United States:

“They’re in a good place. It’s a new season, they’re happy to be together again and, so far, they’ve worked hard.

The first step was really positive today. Now we’ll face stronger opponents and we need to build the dynamic.”