Everton will continue their preparations for the 2026-27 Premier League campaign with a pre-season friendly against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon. The Toffees finished 13th in the Premier League last season, but the team will be looking to push higher up the division in 2026-27. League standing: 13th in Premier League, 49 pts, 13W-10D-15L from 38 games, recent form LLDDL. Goals this season: 47 scored, 50 conceded (-3 goal difference). Title race: 36 points behind leaders Arsenal. Last result: Tottenham 1-0 Everton (2026-05-24). Recent form (last 5): 0W-2D-3L (LLLDD, most recent first); lost the last 3. Next fixture: vs Stoke City (away, 2026-07-28.
What's at stake for Everton?
Everton will be looking to build on their positive start to the pre-season campaign, which saw them score four unanswered goals against Scottish outfit Dundee in their opening match. The Toffees have a very busy pre-season schedule, facing Bolton, Stoke City, Hamburger SV, Stuttgart, Newcastle United and Lille before beginning their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace on August 22. The team has been boosted by the arrivals of Merlin Rohl, Tyrique George and Hayden Hackney, and more new signings are expected to be made before this summer's transfer window closes for business.
Who's in and who's out?
Everton's squad has been affected by injuries, with Jarrad Branthwaite continuing to make positive progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury, but the centre-back is still not ready to feature. The match could also come too soon for summer arrival Hackney, who is still building his fitness, while James Garner remains a major doubt due to a groin problem. New signings Rohl and George are once again expected to feature in the starting side, while James Tarkowski is likely to be introduced into the XI following his appearance off the bench against Dundee.
What's the team's strategy?
David Moyes' side will be looking to continue their positive form in the pre-season campaign, and the team's strategy will be to build on their strengths and work on their weaknesses. The team has been working hard in training, and the players are looking to put in a good performance against Bolton.
What's the prediction?
This should be a competitive match for both sides, which is what the teams will want at this stage of the pre-season campaign. We predict a 2-1 win for Everton.
