Everton will kick off their preparations for the 2020-21 campaign on Saturday afternoon with a trip to Bloomfield Road to take on League One side Blackpool.
The Toffees ended the 2019-20 Premier League season with a 3-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth, which saw them finish 12th in the table, while Blackpool claimed 13th in League One.
Match preview
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Blackpool saw their 2019-20 League One season end in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning that they finished in 13th spot in the table, suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers in their last game.
The team's preparations for the 2020-21 campaign are well underway, though, and they have been in good form since returning to action earlier this month, overcoming Southport, Port Vale and Barrow.
Indeed, a 4-0 success over Southport on August 8 was followed by a 2-1 win over Port Vale, before recording a 2-1 victory at home to Barrow in their last game on Tuesday night.
Jordan Thorniley and Matty Virtue were both on the scoresheet for the Seasiders, who played one XI from the start to 60 minutes before changing their entire side for the final 30 minutes of the contest.
Head coach Neil Critchley is again expected to utilise his squad this weekend, with summer signings Jerry Yates, Oliver Sarkic and Marvin Ekpiteta likely to feature.
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Everton, meanwhile, finished the 2019-20 Premier League season in 12th position, and there is no getting away from the fact that it was a disappointing campaign for the Merseyside giants.
They only won one of their last six league games of the season and finished with a 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, who were relegated to the Championship despite their success at Goodison Park.
As it stands, Carlo Ancelotti's side only have two confirmed pre-season fixtures, away to Blackpool and away to Blackburn Rovers, before starting their new Premier League campaign at Tottenham Hotspur on September 12.
It has been a quiet transfer window for Everton thus far but new signings are expected to arrive before the deadline at the start of October as Ancelotti looks to push the team forward.
A strong squad is expected to be involved at Bloomfield Road, with Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin likely to feature in the final third of the field, while youngster Anthony Gordon should also be included.
Blackpool form (pre-season): WWW
Everton form (last six in Premier League): LDLDWL
Head To Head
Everton lead the overall head-to-head record over Blackpool 23 wins to 15, while there have also been 14 draws between these two teams throughout history.
The Toffees are unbeaten in their last eight games against Blackpool in all competitions, winning their last two Premier League meetings during the 2010-11 campaign.
Blackpool have actually not beaten Everton since November 1966 although two of the last four clashes between the two sides have finished level, including their first ever Premier League clash in November 2010.
We say: Blackpool 1-2 Everton
Blackpool's match fitness should be superior, having already played three times as part of their preparations for next season, but Everton will arrive with a strong squad, and we fancy the visitors to triumph here.
Matt Law
