Friendly Preview: Philadelphia Union Vs Everton

Setting: Wednesday, July 20 at PPL Park in Chester, PA.; kickoff scheduled for 7:30 PM Eastern; Academy game kickoff at 4:00 PM Eastern

Broadcast Information: Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia (Marc Zumoff, Bob Rigby)

For the Everton Perspective, Visit Royal Blue Mersey; read their preview by clicking here.

After a hard year of injuries, Premier League team Everton F.C. topped the league’s table in 7th place. The team made an impressive effort in the final weeks of the league to gain their spot in the top ten teams. Before the season was over, David Moyes’ side announced an international friendly with both D.C. United and Philadelphia Union, as apart of their summer international tour. These tours often bring questions from fans, especially those here in the United States of who is actually going to be coming over for the game?

While Everton did not announce who actually came over for the friendly, we know that Everton's under-18s will be on hand to play the Philadelphia Union's own under-18 team in a match set for 400 pm before the actual friendly at 7:30p.m. 

On Monday evening, July 18th, Everton had a meet and greet at O’Neils pub in Philadelphia. It was an imtimate setting for United States fans to ask questions, take some pictures and get to talk one on one to some of the players. On board for this event was Player of the Year and frequent goal scoring defender Leighton Baines, australian midfielder Tim Cahill, midfielder Mikel Arteta and defender Phil Jagielka.

If this line-up is any clue as to who David Moyes is going to play against the Philadelphia Union, the union have a tough battle in store. Tim Cahill was out on injury for most of the second half of the season, but managed to score is 100th career goal against Premier League team Birmingham in October 2010. Phil Jagielka has been Everton’s leading defender along with Silvain Distin in most every game of the 2010-2011 season. Jagielka has been called up several times by Fabio Capello for England‘s National Team along with Leighton Baines.

Much to everyone’s dismay, Tim Howard, Everton’s ever-present goalie and the United States National Team goalie, will not be at this friendly nor the one in Washington, D.C. He is currently on vacation, according to Moyes, in hopes of getting some much needed rest after ending his season with Everton and playing in CONCACAF’s Gold Cup this summer for the U.S. Everton’s reserve goalie, Jan Mucha, who doesn’t see much play on the first team because of Tim Howard’s attendance record, will play for Howard in this match.

Needless to say, it will be very interesting who Moyes chooses to play against the Union.