It was a disappointing Tuesday evening for English football’s pre-season programme, with Everton beaten at Stoke and Aston Villa coming off second best at home to Real Sociedad.
Stoke City 1-0 Everton
David Moyes’ Everton were beaten for the first time this pre-season as a goal from Stoke’s Kelly condemned them to defeat at the bet365 Stadium.
Everton started brightly and looked the sharper side in the opening stages. New signings Tyrique George and Hayden Hackney showed encouraging signs in the first half, with George heading narrowly wide early on and linking well with Kieran Dewsbury-Hall on the left.
Goalkeeper Matt Travers, deputising for the first team, was in fine form at the other end, making sharp stops to deny Gallagher and Thomas before tipping a Stoke effort onto the bar as the hosts finished the half strongly.
The second half was more even without producing many clear openings, before Stoke broke the deadlock when a misplaced pass from Everton’s O’Brien released Kelly, who curled a composed finish into the far corner.
Moyes immediately emptied his bench, making six changes at once, but Everton could not find an equaliser. O’Brien rattled the crossbar from a late corner, but the Potters held on.
Aston Villa 2-4 Real Sociedad
Unai Emery cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as Villa were beaten at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium by a Real Sociedad side missing several senior internationals.
George Hemmings gave Villa an early lead with a well-taken cross-shot, and teenager Brian Madjo equalised after 56 minutes to make it 2-2.
But Carlos Soler, Orri Oskarsson, Gorka Carrera and Inaki Ruperez all scored for the La Liga side as Villa’s makeshift defensive shape was repeatedly exposed.
Emery was notably animated throughout, struggling to get his instructions across to younger players including Hemmings and Luka Lynch.
The Europa League holders remain without their World Cup contingent, Watkins, Martinez, Konsa, McGinn, Lindelof and new record signing Johan Manzambi all absent.
