So long is this international break that some Premier League clubs have taken to organising mid-season friendlies to keep their non-internationals ticking over before Gameweek 6.

Aston Villa, Brentford, Everton and Manchester United were all involved in kickabouts on Friday (there may also have been other teams who didn’t publicise their friendlies), with more to follow over the weekend.

Here are some of the main talking points from these knockabouts.

MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 Lausanne

There is little information available about United’s friendly at Carrington on Friday. The Red Devils’ website didn’t even provide a score, let alone footage, but reports suggest Michael Carrick’s side prevailed 2-1. Academy product Victor Musa is rumoured to have scored both goals but this has not been officially verified.

Matheus Cunha (£7.9m) and Harry Maguire (£4.8m) featured in what was otherwise a very young side, with the bulk of United’s squad either injured or on international duty.

There was a suggestion that long-term absentee Matthijs de Ligt (£5.0m) was involved, too. If so, Maguire’s medium-term game-time now looks less secure.

Someone who definitely did play was Carlos Baleba (£4.9m). The summer signing from Brighton and Hove Albion had made his first United matchday squad in Gameweek 5, having recovered from injury. While he didn’t get onto the field that time, he did get minutes under his belt in Friday’s friendly.

Kobbie Mainoo (£5.5m) and Youri Tielemans (£5.8m) will soon come under pressure in the engine room, then.

While his form dipped in 2025/26, Baleba averaged over 12 DefCons per 90 minutes in his first two seasons with Brighton – so he’s one for the budget midfielder watchlist.

EVERTON 3-3 Blackburn Rovers

• Goals: Alcaraz pen, Barry, Nsangou
• Assists: Alcaraz, Grealish

Everton let a two-goal lead slip to trail 2-3 in this contest at the Hill Dickinson Stadium but restored parity with a late leveller.

There were no line-up details provided but, from the match report, accompanying pictures and clips on X, we do know that Charly Alcaraz (£4.9m), Thierno Barry (£5.7m), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£6.6m), Michael Keane (£4.8m), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.5m), Jack Grealish (£6.5m), Mark Travers (£5.0m) and Hayden Hackney (£5.4m) were involved.

So too was Christian Norgaard (£4.8m).

The Dane’s return to fitness is an intriguing one for Fantasy managers, especially those perhaps playing a 3-4-3/4-4-2 and wanting a cheap fifth midfielder. Norgaard’s DefCon stats at Brentford were superb, so there’s hope that a move to Merseyside can reawaken his career after a season of dormancy at Arsenal. A couple of price falls add to his potential.

It might be a while before he’s up to speed after so long out, of course, and David Moyes has a lot of options in the engine room.

As for the action, there is only footage of the goals – and little else in the match report.

Alcaraz, interestingly, converted a penalty with Barry on the field. The Argentine midfielder isn’t often on the pitch in the Premier League, however, and it’s not clear who won this spot-kick (ie did the player fouled take it?).

Barry then bundled in a low Alcaraz cross before Blackburn hit three goals to take the lead. Travers also saved a Rovers penalty.

Grealish then slipped in 16-year-old Jonathan Nsangou, one of a number of youngsters who saw minutes, to grab a last-gasp equaliser.

The Toffees have 11 players currently on international duty.

Sevilla 1-3 ASTON VILLA

• Goals: Barkley, Garnacho, Jenner
• Assist: Alysson x2
• Team: Bizot, Bogarde, Harwood-Bellis, Mings (Torres 46), Fortes (Bloomfield 46), Kamara (Wan-Bissaka 46), Gomes (Jenner 76), Hemmings (Alysson 66), Garnacho, Buendía (Barkley 46), Abraham (Madjo 46).

There is a lot more known about Aston Villa’s kickabout with Sevilla on Friday. Indeed, the Antonio Puerta Trophy, a friendly played in memory of the eponymous midfielder, was televised on Villa TV.

This was quite a strong XI, too, with fewer Villans away on international duty. Even two of those, Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m) and George Hemmings (£4.5m), returned early from their respective national team camps to play a part in Spain.

A boost for Villa was the return to fitness of Pau Torres (£4.4m) and Brian Madjo (£5.4m). Alysson (£5.0m) and Marco Bizot (£4.5m) were also back after missing out in Gameweek 5 with minor injuries. All three outfielders came on as second-half substitutes.

The 17-year-old Madjo was a sensation in pre-season, hitting five goals. The rookie striker may well have even lined up in Gameweek 1, had injury not struck at an inopportune time.

Leon Goretzka (£5.9m) was not involved as he awaits his Villa debut, although he has returned to training.

As ever with friendlies, the result and on-field action are secondary to the fitness work.

But Alejandro Garnacho (£5.8m), peripheral under Unai Emery to date, really impressed. Playing off the right flank, he capped off a lively display by tapping in Alysson’s low cross for Villa’s second goal.

The first half was goalless, with Bizot the busier of the two ‘keepers but mostly dealing with half-chances or efforts from distance. Tammy Abraham (£5.5m) was denied in a one-on-one at the other end, with Emiliano Buendia (£5.9m) curling narrowly over.

The hosts were 1-0 up heading into the final 20 minutes before a late Villa blitz. Ross Barkley (£5.0m) intercepted a loose pass before racing through and finishing, with Garnacho establishing the visitors’ lead. Youngster Max Jenner added a third.

BRENTFORD 2-2 Norwich City

• Goals: Lewis-Potter, Carvalho
• Assists: Wilson

There’s no footage from this game but the Brentford website reports that the Bees came back from 2-0 down to salvage a draw against Norwich City.

Keane Lewis-Potter (£5.5m) first reduced the arrears with a direct free-kick just before the interval.

The versatile midfielder-cum-defender was at the heart of Brentford’s equaliser shortly after the restart, too. Callum Wilson (£5.4m) headed Lewis-Potter’s cross back across goal, where Fabio Carvalho (£5.0m) pounced from close range.

Carvalho is something of a forgotten man, having spent much of the last two years out with injury or watching from the bench, but he scored as a substitute in Gameweek 5 in what was his first Premier League appearance since November 2025.

There was no line-up information provided by the Brentford side but, aside from the goalscorers and Wilson, Igor Thiago (£7.8m), Rico Henry (£4.4m) and Jaidon Anthony (£5.9m) also featured against the Canaries.

Thiago appears to have been points-dodging again, with Brentford reporting that he saw a shot deflect narrowly wide, fired a shot over the bar and finally had a goal chalked off for offside.

There was no mention that Sepp van den Berg (£4.9m) or Nathan Collins (£5.4m) were involved. Those two centre-halves have been on the sidelines of late but are not thought to be too far away from a return.