Everton v Fulham LIVE: Rivals aim to put summer woes aside for opening game

The Toffees only narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of last term but the Cottagers had cause for optimism after finishing tenth.

But Fulham manager Marco Silva has had to contend with clubs from Saudi Arabia trying to poach star attackers Aleksandr Mitrovic and Willian.

Everton are set for their first full season under Sean Dyche but financial woes have limited their options in the window.

The Merseysiders have only succeeded in bringing in Ashley Young on a free transfer to join their loan move for Arnaut Danjuma.

Everton vs Fulham: How to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, August 12.

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Kick-off at Goodison Park will take place at 3pm.

Unfortunately, this fixture will not be televised on UK screens due to the 3pm blackout in English football.

However, talkSPORT will be on hand to keep you up to date with all the goals from this game as part of our GameDay Live coverage.

Adrian Durham, Trevor Sinclair, Micky Gray and Remi Allen will be your punditry team from 2:30pm.

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Follow all the goals as they go in from the Premier League and EFL, including Everton v Fulham, Bournemouth v West Ham and Brighton v Luton.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Highlights will then be available on the Sky Sports website and app shortly after the end of the match and later on Match of the Day.

Everton vs Fulham: Team news

The hosts have several injury worries to contend with, as Dele Alli, Dwight McNeil and Seamus Coleman are all sidelined.

Summer signing Danjuma faces a late fitness test, but star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to be available.

Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha is in the treatment room after suffering a serious shoulder injury during pre-season.

Raul Jimenez is likely to lead the line with Mitrovic on the bench after angling for a move away from the club this summer.

Everton vs Fulham: Match stats

Fulham's Willian has assisted four goals in his last three appearances on MD1 in the Premier League, most recently grabbing two on his Arsenal debut against the Cottagers in September 2020. Indeed, no current Premier League player has more MD1 assists than Willian (4, level with Kevin De Bruyne).

Since Sean Dyche's arrival at Everton, no player has been involved in more Premier League goals for the club than Dwight McNeil (7 - 5 goals, 2 assists). McNeil had only had a hand in three goals in his 18 appearances for the Toffees before Dyche (2 goals, 1 assist).

At 38 years and 34 days on the day of this game, new signing Ashley Young could be the third oldest outfield player to appear for Everton in the Premier League after Richard Gough (39y 23d) and Dave Watson (38y 56d). He would also be the oldest outfielder to debut for a Premier League side since Kevin Phillips at Crystal Palace in August 2013 (40y 24d).

Having kept three consecutive Premier League clean sheets from the start of February, Fulham have conceded at least once in 13 of their last 14 matches. The only exception in this run was a 2-0 win at Southampton in May.

All six of Everton's home wins in the Premier League last season were to nil, with five of those being by a 1-0 scoreline. The Toffees haven't won any of their last 12 home league games when conceding at least once (D2 L10) since beating Crystal Palace 3-2 in May 2022.

When they're not a newly promoted club, Fulham are unbeaten in their last five MD1 games in the Premier League (W3 D2), keeping a clean sheet each time. This is their first such game since a 1-0 win at Sunderland in 2013-14.

Everton have only lost their opening Premier League game in one of the last 11 seasons (W4 D6), though that defeat did come at home to Chelsea last season. The Toffees have drawn their opening Premier League game more often than any other side in the competition, with 12 of their 31 games ending level (W9 L10).

Fulham have won three of their last five Premier League games against Everton (D1 L1), as many as they had in their previous 18 against them (D2 L13). They're looking to win consecutive league meetings with the Toffees for the first time since August 2005.

Fulham have faced Everton in their opening game of a top-flight season twice previously and lost both games, losing 3-0 in 1963-64 and 1-0 in 1966-67.

Everton won their first 14 home Premier League matches against Fulham between 2002 and 2018 but have lost each of their last two against the Cottagers at Goodison Park, going down 3-1 in April most recently.