Four of the top five battle it out with each other this week while Man City travel to bottom of the table West Ham. Arsenal could end gameweek 17 in fourth position, having started it Top of the table. Chances are it will be as you were. It has been such an unpredictable season that this has to be the weekend where the top five match each other and pick up a point a piece.

Having written off the Premier Leagues big hitters I’m looking further down the table for points this week. Fulham need to take three points off an in form Sunderland on Saturday. Midfielder Clint Dempsey(6.8) leads the way with 69 points this season. Man mountain Brede Hangeland(5.6) has also performed well picking up 53 points.

Sunderland are flying at the moment, due to the form of Ghanaian goal machine Asamoah Gyan(7.1), Jordan Henderson(5.5) and Nedum Onuoha(5.3). The Black Cats good run can also be attributed to the return of stopper Craig Gordon(4.5), the Scot has amassed 21 points in five games keeping two clean sheets along the way.

In gameweek 14 I said that Stoke’s Matthew Etherington(5.8) was worth a gamble. The winger has notched 27 points in his last three games, his good run is sure to continue against a Blackpool side that has conceded 29 goals in 16 games.

Alan Pardew’s first task as Newcastle boss is to address their inconsistent home form. Next up at St James Park is Liverpool in Saturday’s late game. Steven Gerrard(11.2) could feature, Fernando Torres(11.9) finally looks interested, Joe Cole(8.3) is nearing full fitness and most surprising of all Ryan Babel(6.7) played 90 minutes and scored a goal. The Magpies will be hoping that Kevin Nolan(6.1) will return from injury and that Andy Carroll(6.2) can add to his fantastic tally of 94 points.

Everton find themselves stuck in no man’s land. Right now their season could go one of two ways – An assault on the top eight, or a scrap in the bottom six. David Moyes men need to follow on from their point at Stamford Bridge with victory at home to Wigan. Centre Back Phil Jagielka(5.8) has reached a half century of points for the season, Tim Cahill(9.1) is doing for the Toffees what Steven Gerrard so often does for rivals Liverpool and Jermaine Beckford(5.1) may just be getting the knack of top flight Football. The Latics welcome back Hugo Rodallega from suspension, but I feel Roberto Martinez men will leave Goodison Park empty handed.

Last mention goes to Blackburn’s Chris Samba(5.1), one of those defenders who is imposing at the back and a genuine goal threat from set plays. Rovers have responded well after having their bottoms well and truly spanked by Man Utd and big Chris is an integral part of a normally(Old Trafford annihilation apart) tight defence.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

It’s been one of the worst kept secrets in English football, but it’s official now that Jermaine Beckford has completed his free transfer to Everton. Leeds had cancelled his contract on Friday which is an unusual step. Regardless of the fact a player has agreed to join another club, clubs usually keep the registration until the very last day of the contract. Often this runs until June 30th but both parties seemed to agree to part the ways earlier than required.

Questions are liable to raised in regards to Beckford’s abilities, as he’s jumped 2 divisions after firing the goals that helped return Leeds United to the Championship. Yet taking a risk on such a player who has scored 85 goals in the last 3 seasons for Leeds is hardly risky. There’s no fee involved and the wages that Everton will be paying him will be more than he earned at Leeds but nowhere near the top end of Premiership players.

Beckford’s star has certainly been rising over the last few years, he struggled at Leeds after joing the club from Wealdstone in 2006, but he’s quickly become one of the most feared strikers in England outside of the Premiership. His goal at Old Trafford certainly gave him column inches world wide and made sure that people outside of the U.K. became aware of his potential. By joining Everton, he’s at a club that will give him the support and guidance he’ll need.

Moyes has been searching for more striking talent to back up his current crop of attacking options. No-one doubts the abilities of Louis Saha and Ayegbeni Yakubu but both are not getting younger. Saha has developed a reputation of being injury prone but has managed 68 appearances for Everton in the two years he’s been on Merseyside. Yakubu, for all his early promise at Portsmouth has found goals hard to come by since he joined up with the Toffees.

I’ve always thought troubled Everton for the last few years is the lack of depth in the striking department. They would usually have two first choice strikers, but then the back up would fall away. Victor Anichebe has struggled for goals when he’s had the opportunity of being giving a chance for Everton and James Vaughan seemingly suffers from a rotating knee injury that have blighted his early promise. Both have simply had some bad luck.

One thing Beckford will bring to the club is pace, he is lightening fast and he gives the striking options more weight. Moyes will be delighted to have captured him in face of some healthy competition and it increases the clubs options. As I mentioned earlier, people will point to his lack of Premiership experience, but sometimes you’ve got to take a risk on players. Some will relish the opportunities that will come their way and of course it will take time for Beckford to settle in to the top flight, but that’s only natural.

Everton will be hoping to avoid another slow start to the season which derailed an excellent campaign from being even better. Surely they’ll get the breaks they need next season and with one or two additional signings, they’ll be back up there again. No doubt, they’ll be also hoping to avoid a repeat of the Joleon Lescott transfer saga and strengthen a side that can consistently push into the Europa Cup qualifying places.

How do you think Beckford will do? Leave me your comments and you can find me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/paulbestall

David Moyes joined Everton following the sacking of Walter Smith in March 2002. He was regarded as one of the most promising young managers in the country when he arrived at Goodison Park and has justified that assessment ever since.

His transfer activity has been extremely impressive during his Everton tenure, uncovering gem after gem for extremely reasonable prices. So here are the top five signings by David Moyes during his time at Everton.

Mikel Arteta – 159 apps, January 2005 – present

Signed by Moyes in the January transfer window of 2005 initially on loan but with view to a permanent transfer, he excelled at Goodison Park and the loan was made permanent in July 2005 for £2 million, a paltry fee considering his impact. Awarded Everton Player of the Season in 2006 and 2007, plus Everton Player’s Player of the Season 2006, he has become a key component in Moyes’ Everton side.

Initially thought of as a defensive midfielder in the mould of Pep Guardiola, he has established himself on the right-wing, his close control and dribbling are among the best in the EPL and last season he was the most fouled player in the league.

Tim Cahill – 196 apps, July 2004 – present

A summer 2004 acquisition by Moyes and one of the best. Brought in from Championship club Millwall for a fee of £1.5 million and it has been one of the best pieces of business made by the Everton manager.

In his first season with the club he was top scorer with 12 goals and also won the clubs Player of the Season award. He is also the first Everton player since Dixie Dean in 1931 to score in three separate Merseyside derbies at Anfield.

Best known for his late runs into the box and ability to score with his head, he is a tremendous threat for Everton and carries the fight from the middle of the park.

Joleon Lescott – 143 apps, June 2006 – August 2009

Signed by Moyes in the summer of 2006 after a long career at Wolverhampton Wanderers for a sum of £5 million.

He was voted player’s Player of the Season in 2007 and 2008 due to his consistent performances and earned himself the nickname ‘Mr. Consistency’. A pillar of strength at the back for Everton he managed to work his way into the England squad with his impressive form.

His legacy at Everton will be soured by his departure to Manchester City, but even so, the fee of £22 million was a magnificent profit on the initial payout and a great piece of business by David Moyes.

Steven Pienaar – 102 apps, July 2007 – present

Brought in on loan from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2007, he was an instant hit at Goodison Park. His creativity was vital in a hardworking Toffees midfield, and Moyes eventually made the move permanent a year later for a fee of £2 million.

He learned his football at Ajax and was part of a successful side which contained the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a move to Dortmund followed but he did not settle and thanks to Moyes his career has been reinvigorated.

His dynamic performances for Everton and South Africa have caught the eye of many top European clubs, so only time will tell if Moyes can hold onto one of his starlets.

Tim Howard – 178 apps, May 2006 – present

Arriving from rivals Manchester United in the summer of 2006, he had failed to make the grade at Old Trafford and was initially given a one year loan deal by Moyes. His performances were so impressive that the transfer was made permanent in February 2007 for a fee of around £3 million, another bargain by the Everton manager.

Ever reliable and regularly producing excellent saves, the keeper was one short of equalling Neville Southall’s record of 15 clean sheets in the league during the 2007/08 season.

On April 19, 2009, in the FA Cup semi final, he saved two penalties against his former club Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out to send Everton to the final against Chelsea.

Impressive stuff indeed, but do you agree? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

It’s quite possibly last week’s news, but you’ve got to admit, the spat and potential bust up between Everton’s David Moyes and Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini was a little taste of some quality entertainment. EPL Talk has never condoned football related violence by any means, but the occasional scuffle between two passionate managers, in this case, one of them Scottish and the other Italian, definitely made an intense moment into a lasting and enjoyable memory.

In the end, the altercation that never amounted to much besides handbags, resulted in an FA charge against Mancini for his instigation while the incident resulted in a warning for Moyes for his supposed retaliation. The scuffle really was minor in it’s own right as both managers showed respect for one another after the dust cleared, and were even reported to have shared a drink in Mancini’s office after the match. But the clashing of managers raises an interesting question as to who would have emerged victorious had the situation escalated to blows and or a full fledged fight.

I’ll now attempt to break down both opponents strengths and weaknesses to allow you the reader to predict a winner if ever the two meet again.

• David Moyes, Scottish – Aged 46, (6 ft 1 in). Former center half for Celtic. Enjoyed a journeyman-type career appearing for some seven different clubs before working his way up to manager for Preston North End.

Let’s face it, the Scots are a brave and fiery lot. They “get stuck in” with the best of them. I’ve seen Moyes more times than I can remember on the touch line at Everton getting into a player or ref with enough passion and heart to scare off the toughest of would be opponents.

Moyes has a mostly working class background hailing from Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow, where oddly enough, fellow countryman and Premier League manager Alex McLeish and Alex Kapranos (lead singer of indie band Franz Ferdinand) also hail from.

Obvious Strengths- A natural born Brave-heart, Moyes could take a few shots and keep coming at you. He’d most likely get hit in a fight first, but wouldn’t be phased, and the first punch would probably fuel him on. Could also trade verbal tirades with the best of  them. So if you’re easily intimidated, Moyes could have you shaking in your boots before you worked up the courage to strike.

Weakness- Emotions could cloud his vision and judgement. Could be dominated by a more patient and technical fighter.

Secret Weapon – The headbutt

• Roberto Mancini, Italian- Aged 45, (6 ft 0 in). Striker for Lazio and Leicester to name a few. Great playing career and so far, very good managerial career.

As fiery as the Scots can be, so too can the Italians. Known more for their smarts and organization in a fight, what Mancini would give up in sheer brawn, he would gain back in street smarts. Don’t let the long, well-maintained hair and scarf fool you, Mancini has been around the block and faced some of the toughest center backs in Italian and English football in his playing days.

Obvious Strengths- Some would say Mancini would fight dirty, I disagree. I think he would fight smart and defensive (Catenaccio anyone?). He’d allow his opponent to make the first move or two and counter attack to fit his fighting style. Whether or not this tactic would be enough to win over his opponent is yet to be seen, but it would allow Mancini the vital few moments needed in combat to gain a read and understanding of his opponent. This very characteristic could give Mancini the edge to win in a close fight.

Weakness- Hot temper could be his undoing if he let it get the better of his intellect. Also, fighting the smart fight doesn’t always work. Would have to be on his toes if he let his opponent dictate the pace of the encounter.

Secret Weapon – Shin rake

The Verdict- For me, it’s too close to call. Both men are very close in age, height and weight. Both are of a passionate manner with Moyes probably gaining the slight edge when it comes to getting himself all hot and bothered, while Mancini seems to play it cool most of the time.

If it ever kicked off between the two managers, it’d be an interesting contest. Let’s hope it never does, but thanks to the both of them for giving us that unforgettable moment last week when we just thought it would.

You’ve got to feel for David Moyes and the never ending injury situation at Goodison Park. Since they finished fourth in 2005, it seems every season starts in December due to the injury affliction that seemingly curses the Toffees. Thankfully, we’re past the days when teams blamed gypsy curses for bad luck or injuries. I never understood those strange tales, especially as they always seemed to affect sides that had previously had success.

Do theses curses have timers included in the spell when it’s cast? Thankfully, Goodison seems to be the type of place were such nonsense isn’t given a second thought. There is no doubt that Everton have consistently punched above their weight for the best part of David Moyes’ reign. They’ve finished lower than 6th once in the last 5 years and now once again, Everton are charging up the table.

Wednesday’s nights victory at Manchester City acted as a reminder for people that for all the excitement on who would finish fourth, Everton can still cause perceived better sides problems. In the shakedown of the season, Everton seem to be the one side everyone forgets. Since the turn of the year, they’ve only lost 2 league games against Spurs and Liverpool and beat Manchester United and Chelsea. An injury time equaliser from Thomas Rosicky saved Arsenal’s blushes at the Emirates Stadium in January.

The upturn in their fortunes is consistently overlooked, but they’ve clawed back a 13 point gap on 7th and are now breathing down Aston Villa’s neck. It would be easy for Moyes to blame lack of investment compared with all the teams above them, but he simply does the best he can with what he has. It is a return most chairman would die for, yet in giving us the most consistent Everton side since the mid 80′s, Everton still don’t get the credit they deserve.

Perhaps people miss the point with Everton, but on song, they are a damn fine team, with the delightful Arteta in the side pulling the strings. Any side shorn of the quality that he, along with Saha and Jagielka, brings to the Toffees side, would find the going tough, but they simply seem to get along with it. This season, the emergence of Leighton Baines as a top quality left back has allowed Moyes to use the criminally underrated Phil Neville to slip in at right back in place of the erratic Tony Hibbert.

Added to that, John Heitinga’s flexibility in his ability to play seemingly anywhere in defence or midfield shows his transfer fee to be an absolute steal. For £6.2 million, the Dutch international has shown that Ajax still produce such adaptable and talented players that no other club can compare to. In comparison to the man he replaced, Joleon Lescott, Heitinga is simply a far better player on every level. He even seems to have survived a spell at the modern footballers graveyard, Athletico Madrid.

With the breakthrough of Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling to consistently make the side and grow as players can only be a good thing for Everton. For a club with the stature and history that they have, why they struggle to gain any real investment is a mystery to me. I grew up watching an Everton side that were real challengers for titles both at home and abroad before being curtailed by English footballs ban from European for that dark 5 year period between 1985 to 1990. I have no doubt that Everton could have won the European Cup in 1986 rather than perhaps the worst European Champions in modern history, Steaua Bucharest and their blanketing tactics.

Moyes is well aware of the history and tradition that Everton have. The halcyon era’s of Howard Kendall and Harry Catterick may be distant history to some as many remember the side that struggled to hang on to their top flight status throughout much of the 1990′s. Everton have been a top flight side since 1954, the second longest in English football behind Arsenal. That’s 56 seasons in the top division, if that’s not history, I don’t know what is.

A late charge for 4th would be miraculous, but I wouldn’t bet on them finishing 8th. As Villa stutter, City keep missing chances and Liverpool’s dreadfully negative football keeps failing, they could be well pressed to finish above at least one of those sides. It would be a massive fillip for Moyes, the wonderfully supportive chairman Bill Kenwright and the fans for them to push upwards.

Then this summer hope that he can keep a full strength side for the beginning of the season and add a bit more strength upfront. The perhaps Everton’s fans may begin to think of more than the Europa League and cup semi-finals for once and bring home a bit of silverware once again.

On August 15^th 2009, Everton faced Arsenal on a sun drenched, season opener and lost 6-1. Joleon Lescott pulled on a royal blue shirt that afternoon despite reinforcing his desire to leave Goodison Park and angering manager David Moyes. The team were without influential performers such as Phil Jagielka and Mikel Arteta and looked to be careering dangerously towards a long, hard season. How times change. Five months later, Everton are sitting pretty in eighth place and within touching distance of a second successive Europa League campaign.

Since that opening day shambles, Toffees have beaten Chelsea, drawn at Arsenal and more recently this weekend battled to a 3-1 victory at home to Manchester United. Moyes’s men suffered a shaky start and conceded early as Dimitar Berbatov poked home on the turn from 8 yards out, after a bullet of a low cross from Antonio Valencia. The goal served as a wake up call for the home side as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov thumped home from 20 yards into the bottom right hand corner just three minutes later. The Russian international took advantage of a poor headed clearance from Johnny Evans to score his fifth goal of the season.

As the second half commenced, Everton’s Phil Neville was assured defensively and Bilyaletdinov and Landon Donovan were majestic in their offensive play and passing. United began to struggle to find avenues to explore as their Merseyside opponents snuffed out crosses  and denied any entry into their 18 yard box. The introduction of fresh youngsters Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell provided a cutting edge Everton needed. This was a stroke of genius from Moyes as his substitutions changed the game. Stephen Pienaar and Donovan linked up tidily on the left side as if they’d played together all of their career, and Pienaar’s angled cross found Gosling who bundled in from 8 yards out to deservedly give his side a 2-1 advantage. In the dying minutes, 19 year old Rodwell took the ball from the halfway line, cantered past Evans whilst heading away from goal, and calmly fired the ball from his laces low into the bottom left of the goal. Moyes’s side are so often dismantled by injuries and star players Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill were unfit this weekend, ironically leaving places for two youngsters in Rodwell and Gosling to steal the show.

Moyes has crafted a squad beautifully, with academy players such as Leon Osman and more recently Gosling and Rodwell blending into the first team seamlessly. Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov and Fellaini were relative unknowns before joining from the German, Belgian and Russian leagues and transforming into irreplaceable talismen. The Scot, Moyes, also has Neville in the form of his career at the age of 33. The ex England man grafts hard ironing out any errors in defence and is a reliable figure who is good in the air.

Former Preston North End manager Moyes has to be celebrated for the way he was managed his squad with limited money and limited resources. This season and last term, Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini have played as makeshift strikers due to crippling, long term injuries to James Vaughan, Yakubu and Louis Saha. Cahill and Fellaini gave a decent return for midfielders masquerading as forwards and scored 16 goals between them last season. Australian international Cahill is truly deadly from set pieces, with his cunning runs and unbelievable spring and heading power for a man under 6 foot. Fellaini has gained a reputation as a hard tackler and an adroit runner with the ball. He too is a danger from set pieces. The loss of loanee Donovan to his parent club LA Galaxy will be a blow to the Blue half of Merseyside but Mikel Arteta is playing his way back to full fitness at the moment.

You talk about Wenger, Ancelotti, Benitez and Ferguson as esteemed managers, but the flame haired Everton boss deserves his recognition too. A top four finish, European football, an FA Cup Final and exciting youngsters have all been brought to Everton by Moyes. Let us not forget it was Moyes who unleashed Wayne Rooney onto the footballing world, when he shocked Everton’s recent 6-1 conquerors Arsenal with a curling beauty from outside the box. Rooney may have gone onto bigger and better things but had the face of a well beaten man when he shook his former mentor’s hand at the end of 90 minutes last weekend.

U.S. international star Landon Donovan has arrived in England and made his first public appearance today for Everton, the club he has joined on loan for the next 10 weeks.

Donovan arrived at Goodison Park for the second half of the Toffees FA Cup win against Carlisle. He flew in to Manchester Airport on Saturday morning and then made the journey to Liverpool according to Everton FC. And was later introduced to his Everton teammates by manager David Moyes.

On Monday, Donovan will officially sign his Everton paperwork to secure the loan to Everton and will then join up with Moyes and his Everton teammates for training in preparation for their game against Arsenal next Saturday, which will be televised live in the United States on Setanta Sports at 10am ET.

No word yet on whether Donovan will get his start for Everton against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, but stay tuned to both this site and our sister site, Major League Soccer Talk, who will be doing a Landon Donovan Watch during his time at Everton.

photo: Yiorgos Karahalis | Reuters

Dutch international right back, Johnny Heitinga, has accepted a transfer from Atletico Madrid to Everton, completing a physical just under the transfer window deadline which closed at 5pm yesterday.

It’s a loss for Atleti and a serious loss for the Champions League competition (Everton competes in the Europa League but Heitinga is cup-tied for even that). I was looking forward to the rebels — “Los Colchoneros” (“the Mattress-Makers”) — of Madrid making a strong showing this year. Perhaps not.

Heitinga — a product of Ajax — is one of the quality right backs who’s lithe movement reminds a little of Cafu in his nimbler days. A skilled handler of the ball who gives firm ball on the ground and who is capable of launching stinging balls early across the 18 from wide space. He is clever, unpredictable, not easily read and not prone to tendency. He’ll set you up going outside then, later in the match, kill you driving inside. Unlike Ashley Cole, for example, Heitinga is the kind of wide back who keeps his wide opponents busy in their own end.

Moyes brings in Heitinga to replace Joleon Lescott who was snatched by Mark Hughes & Manchester City near the deadline. Lescott is a strong player, but this is at least a fair swap for the Toffees if Johnny can stay fit.

Heitinga rejoins his old teammate, Steven Pienaar, alongside whom he played at Ajax for five years. Said Heitinga, “I am looking forward to linking up with him again because he is a good player.”

Apparently, Heitinga was on a high salary in Madrid which Everton could not match (yet he now supercedes Mikel Arteta as Everton highest paid player). Nor can Everton offer Champions League competition this year. Even with these deficiencies in the bargain, a fine Dutch footballer feels the pull of the Premiership and the aura of living in Liverpool & environs.

My guess is Heitinga will take Tony Hibbert’s position wide-right; in which case it is unclear who among Baines, Yobo or Jagielka and others are best suited to partner Sylvain Distin in the middle of the back. It’s the kind of signing the effects of which will ripple through a side having its difficulties not a few months after just tasting the Wembley stage of an FA Cup Final.

The last dance of the season, of every season, the FA Cup Final is the jewel in the English Football Crown. Last year’s final between Cardiff and Portsmouth was arguably the exception, but this year’s certainly isn’t:

Underdogs Everton come into the final for the first time in 14 years, since Joe Royle’s infamous ‘dogs of war’ – led by the terrifying Duncan Ferguson – beat Manchester United in a final that was described by many as “rubbish”. This is David Moyes’ first appearance in an English FA Cup Final, as either a player or manger, but with the experienced Phil Neville leading the side, there is no shortage of big match experience. Neville himself is going for his fourth FA Cup triumph, after wins in 1996, 1999 and 2004 with Manchester United. A crucial penalty in the semi final against his former club, he says, was the first time that he really ”felt like an Everton player” despite being captain for two years. Hmmm. Unfortunately, talented centre half Phil Jagielka misses out on the Wembley showpiece with a knee injury sustained in a game against Manchester City on 25th April. Nigerian Joseph Yobo is likely to take his place in the back four.

Favourites Chelsea bid a fond farewell to Guus Hiddink on Saturday, after the dutchman guided the Blues to third position in the league and a European Cup semi final, as well as tomorrow’s FA Cup Final. Midfield maestro Frank Lampard has been passed fit to play as Chelsea are bidding to add to their FA Cup haul of four, the last of those being in 2007, where a Didier Drogba goal in extra time saw off league champions Manchester United. Like Moyes, this is Hiddink’s first taste of an English FA Cup Final, but as a European Cup winner with PSV in 1988, he is no stranger to success and the battle of wits between the Scot and the Dutchman could be where this game could be decided.

You better add this to your favourites before you go to bed because  it’s an early start American viewers, so bring your coffee and join me at around 9.30 EDT (2.30pm GMT, so not that early my fellow Brits) for this season’s denouement. Should be a good one. Maybe. Click Here for the live blog.

Editor’s Note: During the FA Cup Final live blog/chat experience on EPL Talk today, host Michael Scallon will be awarding an official EPL Talk T-Shirt to one lucky winner. Log in to find out how to win.

Major League Soccer has announced Everton as the opponent for this year’s MLS All-Star game.

“We are very excited about Everton FC agreeing to be the opponent for the 2009 MLS All-Star Game,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a league statement. “Everton is an elite European club that features many world-class players, including former MLS standout Tim Howard, who will challenge our unbeaten record against English Premier League teams in the MLS All-Star Game series.”

Everton are excited as well.

“We are all looking forward to the match in Salt Lake City,” said Everton manager David Moyes. “I am sure there will be a lot of interest in the game and it will be a valuable part of our preseason schedule. We always enjoy spending time in America during the summer because the facilities are first-class and there is a warm welcome wherever we go.”

The match will occur on July 29 at Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium. It will be televised on ESPN 2 at 9:30 PM EST.

Spanish clubs Valencia, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid were also rumored to be candidates.

The MLS All-Stars are unbeaten in the game against European competition in this fixture and have outscored opponents 13-4. One suspects they would not fare so well travelling to England at a time when Premier League players are in midseason form.

The match is the first confirmed fixture of the 2009 summer schedule but Everton supporters are advised that the first-team squad will not be based in Salt Lake City and the game will form part of a wider tour across North America.

It will be the Blues’ fifth visit to the USA in their last six pre-season tours, which have included stays in Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago and Colorado.

For the latest schedule of preseason friendlies involving Premier League teams around the world, visit the preseason friendlies page on EPL Talk.