The AFC Bournemouth Cherries are set to clash with Everton in the Premier League Summer Series tonight, marking a key step in their preparations for the upcoming season. This series will see Bournemouth take on formidable opponents like Manchester United and West Ham, all on American soil.
Their first challenge is against Everton, managed by David Moyes. This match could feature former Cherry Mark Travers facing his old teammates after his summer move to the Toffees. Everton has already had two pre-season friendlies, drawing 1-1 with Accrington Stanley and then playing Blackburn Rovers last weekend.
Last season saw Bournemouth dominate their Merseyside rivals, achieving a league double and also defeating them in the FA Cup. These league victories occurred under former Everton boss Sean Dyche, with Bournemouth winning 3-2 at Goodison Park and 1-0 at Dean Court.
Dyche's tenure ended shortly after the Dorset visit in January. Bournemouth later traveled to Goodison for the FA Cup, securing a 2-0 victory. A highlight of these encounters was the August match where Andoni Iraola's team, trailing 2-0 after 87 minutes, remarkably scored three goals in nine minutes to turn the game around. David Brooks scored the lone goal at Vitality Stadium in the new year, followed by Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison finding the net in the cup match in February.
The teams will now meet at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a venue that hosted the Club World Cup final and is slated to host the World Cup final next year. Each round of the Summer Series features a double header, with the Cherries vs. Toffees match kicking off the pre-season tournament at 9pm on Saturday night, July 26. The teams will then travel to Chicago for the next leg of the series.
Key Match Details:
- Teams: AFC Bournemouth vs Everton
- Competition: Premier League Summer Series
- Location: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, USA
- Date & Time: Saturday, July 26, 9pm