Star returns and £28m signing's first start but Everton reverse in final Leeds United warm-up
Leeds United’s opening Premier League weekend visitors Everton played their final friendly on Saturday afternoon.
A new signing made his debut as a star returned from injury but ultimately in defeat for Leeds United’s opening weekend visitors Everton in their final friendly.
The Toffees will provide United’s first opponents of the club’s Premier League return with an evening kick-off under the Elland Road lights next Monday night.
Ahead of the new campaign, both teams took in their final pre-season friendlies on Saturday as Daniel Farke’s Whites shared a 1-1 draw with Italian giants AC Milan at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Toffees also faced Italian opposition
Everton. meanwhile, also faced Serie A opposition with the visit of AS Roma to their new Hill Dickinson Stadium for a clash which attracted a capacity crowd of 50,000 fans.
New £28m signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was handed his first Everton start in the contest in which defender Jarrad Branthwaite also returned after missing the Premier League Summer Series in the USA with a minor injury.
Everton, though, were unable to bag what would have been just a second win of the summer as Martin Soule’s curling strike 20 minutes from time sealed a 1-0 victory for the visitors.