Everton’s 2022/23 Premier League Fixtures & Analysis

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Everton face a massive test on the opening weekend of the 2022/23 Premier League season with Chelsea the visitors to Goodison Park on August 6.

Richarlison scored the only goal of the game when the two sides last met in April, but the latest Everton transfer news suggests he will not be around for their next encounter.

The Brazilian forward has been strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, while Arsenal and Chelsea are also interested in securing his services.

The Toffees face three away games in their first five outings, but will be confident of heading into September with plenty of points on the board.

Everton must get off to a flyer

While the opening fixture against Chelsea is a tough one, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Everton could enjoy a positive start to the Premier League campaign.

Visits to Aston Villa, Brentford and Leeds United will not but easy, but these are the type of games the Toffees must win if they harbour hopes of climbing the table.

With a home game against newly-promoted Nottingham Forest also scheduled during August, Frank Lampard’s side have plenty of opportunities to get points on the board.

Things get tougher during the following month, with the first Merseyside derby set to take place at Goodison on September 3.

The Reds completed the double over Everton last season and their recent acquisition of Darwin Nunez from Benfica has boosted their forward options.

With Arsenal (A) and West Ham United (H) also on the agenda during September, this is undoubtedly a difficult stretch of games for Everton.

Other notable dates during 2022 include Manchester United’s visit on October 8 and a trip to reigning champions Manchester City on the final day of the year.

Everton kick-off next year at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on January 2, before facing Southampton (H) and West Ham (A) during the rest of the month.

The second Merseyside derby against Liverpool takes place at Anfield on February 11 and is followed by home games against Leeds and Villa.

The final month of the campaign features four games including Man City’s visit to Goodison on May 13 and a last day encounter at home to Bournemouth.

Everton season expectations

Lampard will be desperate to see some good Everton news headlines this season having narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last term.

Improving the team’s defensive record must be the priority, particularly as they conceded the most number of goals from set-pieces during the previous campaign.

A deal for Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski has reportedly been done, although it is unlikely to be announced until his contract expires at the end of the month.

However, it is debatable whether a player who was part of a relegated team last season is the solution to the Toffees’ problems at the back.

Midfield reinforcements are also needed, while doubts over the futures of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin complicate matters up front.

Lampard did a decent job in galvanising the squad towards the end of last season, but doubts remain about his ability to truly turn the club’s fortunes around.

With the club’s finances in the spotlight, they may need to sell one or more of their top assets to improve the overall quality of the squad.

Recruiting the right players will not be easy, particularly with Everton facing competition for their targets from more attractive clubs.

They include Newcastle United and Aston Villa – both of whom can offer exciting projects to potential new signings.

Having escaped relegation last season, Everton fans will be eager to see the club enjoy a more fruitful campaign this time around.

Given the challenges the club faces this summer, a mid-table finish is probably a realistic aim for the upcoming campaign.