Fans at Goodison Park know this is an important season for their club as Everton sit in a strange state of limbo. Seventh-placed Everton finished 15 points about eighth place but eight off sixth.

Ronald Koeman and company are surely going to do everything they can to break into the top six and that all starts with a home fixture against Stoke City, who the Toffees beat 1-0 in match week three last season.

August doesn’t get any easier for Everton, however, as they travel to both Manchester City and Chelsea by month’s end. They took a point at the Etihad but were embarrassed 5-0 at Stamford Bridge, so two wins would be a huge boost to the club’s top four hopes. A trip to Old Trafford comes three weeks after the Chelsea game, so Ronald Koeman will have to have his club firing on all cylinders as quickly as possible.

Fans and players have already circled the first Merseyside Derby on their calendars, and the 9 December matchup at Anfield cannot come any sooner for them.

A Boxing Day trip to West Brom, where Everton left 2-1 victors last season, is followed on New Year’s Day by a huge home game against Jose Mourinho and Manchester United.

The second Merseyside Derby come on 7 April and the Toffees will be looking to put Sadio Mane’s 94th minute winner in last years fixture behind them.

In the final week, Koeman hosts former club Southampton before finishing the season at the London Stadium against West Ham United…