The Cherries' first home league test of the season comes against an Everton side already showing plenty of early promise. Fresh from beating Crystal Palace and dismantling Preston in the cup, the Toffees arrive on the South Coast with plenty of momentum.
Bournemouth face Everton in their first home league game of the season with the visitors arriving on the South Coast in confident mood after an impressive start to the campaign.
The Toffees opened their Premier League season with a hard fought 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, producing a disciplined and composed display to begin the new campaign with three points, whilst the Cherries suffered defeat in Manchester. Everton then followed their league win up in midweek with an even more emphatic result, brushing aside Preston North End 4-0 in the League Cup. Moyes' side will now face Wolves at home in the next round, whilst the Cherries have now entered the competition and also face a home trip to Championship opposition, facing Lincoln at Dean Court.
That means Everton head to Bournemouth having scored six goals across their opening two competitive fixtures without conceding, giving David Moyes' side that early confidence they needed.
Everton's 25/26 Campaign
Everton finished the 25/26 campaign with a 13th placed finish, which was exactly the same position they occupied the previous season. On the face of it, that suggests a season of consolidation rather than significant progress and the Everton fans had perhaps hoped that a return to stability under Moyes, combined with the move into their impressive new Hill Dickinson Stadium, could provide the foundations for a push towards the top half at least.
There were certainly encouraging signs throughout the season, but despite a flirt with European football, the final weeks of the campaign left a slightly sour taste. Everton ended the season with a seven game winless run, which ultimately destroyed any faint hopes of sneaking into a European spot.
Credit: BBC Sport.
Everton's Hopes Ahead Of 26/27 Season
The Toffees will know another bottom half finish would feel like a missed opportunity, particularly after they spent much of last season threatening to push towards the European places before their late collapse.
David Moyes is also entering a crucial season, with the Everton hierarchy having made it clear that missing out on Europe last term was viewed as a disappointment. The target this time around is therefore likely to be a sustained challenge for the top eight, with European qualification a realistic ambition.
Everton will always be mindful of being drawn into anything near the bottom of the table, but with plenty of similar calibre sides competing in Europe this time around, Everton could see this as a chance to aim higher. They'll be hoping younger talents like Tyler Dibling and Tyrique George can push on and use the guidance of the likes of James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford to help them gain that maturity on the pitch.
The Cherries Link - Mark Travers
There will be a familiar face in the Everton squad when the Cherries welcome the Toffees to Dean Court, with former Bournemouth stopper Mark Travers returning to his old club. Travers joined Everton last summer but has understandably found regular first team opportunities difficult to come by, with Jordan Pickford firmly established as David Moyes’ and Everton's first choice goalkeeper.
