Two clubs looking to return to form will do battle today in a friendly between Everton and Celta Vigo. The match scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET will be held at the Prenton Park in Merseyside and can be live streamed here.
The big spenders of the Premier League no longer reside in the top four. Everton broke the bank during the summer transfer window to permanently acquire the services Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for a record-fee of £28 million. Manager Roberto Martinez, however, will expect more from his 21-year-old striker this season, justifying his transfer fee.
"Rom is vitally important, but his transfer fee will not count for anything in terms of him developing and having an important role in the side," Martinez said (via the Daily Mail). "This dressing room has got a special feeling and it is not about how much you pay for players to come in, it is about selecting the players to be in there."
"We really needed Rom at the club and that is where the chairman [Bill Kenwright] and the board have been exceptional and I do think it is a key moment at our club," he added. "I am looking at that number nine position—and I am probably biased—but he is potentially the best choice in world football."
"He needs to enjoy his football, have the same standards he had and I am excited to see how far Rom can take us and how far we can take Rom."
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Lukaku isn't the only young starlet at Martinez's disposal this season. After an exciting 2013 campaign and World Cup appearance, expectations have risen for Ross Barkley. The 21-year-old made made 34 appearances for Everton last season, finishing with six goals and an average of 2.4 dribbles per match.
Everton's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Howard; Hibbert, Jagielka, Alcaraz, Baines; Barry, Osman, McGeady, Pienaar, Barkley; Naismith
Celta Vigo's Projected Lineup (4-4-1-1): Rubén, Jonny, Gómez, Fontàs, Planas; Borja, Fernandez, Krohn-Dehli, López; Mina, Larrivey
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via Whoscored).
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