Everton Prepare for Tough Test Against Stuttgart in Germany
Everton’s summer in Germany reaches its climax this weekend, and the level is about to rise sharply.
After a late, scruffy, but satisfying 2-1 win over Hamburg, David Moyes takes his squad to the MHPArena to face Vfb Stuttgart – a side that spent last season trading blows with Bayern Munich and punching their ticket to the Champions League. This is no gentle jog to round off the tour. This is a measure of where Everton really are.
Their first outing on German soil ended in drama. Merlin Röhl, back in his homeland, marked the occasion by opening the scoring, only for Hamburg to fight back. Deep into stoppage time, with the game drifting towards a draw, Jordan Torunarigha turned into his own net and handed Everton a fourth pre-season outing that ended with arms aloft rather than hands on hips.
The win added to the rhythm of a busy summer, but Stuttgart represent a different kind of examination. Sebastian Hoeneß has built a side that finished fourth in the Bundesliga and reached a second straight DFB-Pokal final. They play with pace, confidence and a clear identity. For Moyes, that’s exactly the kind of opponent he needs right now.
A new signing waits in the wings
One new face will not be involved. Christian Norgaard, signed from Arsenal this week in a £7m deal, will sit this one out and begin his work at Finch Farm when the squad returns to Merseyside.
The Dane’s absence is no surprise. Everton want him fit, sharp and ready for the grind of the Premier League, not rushed into a pre-season cameo. His likely first sighting in blue will come against Newcastle United at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh next Wednesday, when the tempo of preparations cranks up again.
World Cup returnees rejoin the fold
There is, though, fresh energy back in the group. Iliman Ndiaye and Nathan Patterson have rejoined the squad after extended breaks following their involvement at the 2026 World Cup. Both now stand on the brink of their first pre-season minutes, and Stuttgart offers an ideal stage.
For Ndiaye, it is a chance to slip into the attacking framework Moyes is shaping, working off the line and between the lines in that band of three behind the striker. For Patterson, it is about rhythm, timing and the kind of sharpness a full-back only finds by repeatedly winning duels and making runs beyond the winger.
Jordan Pickford, who went deep into the tournament with England and reached the semi-finals, will not feature. He is due to link up with the squad once the German tour is over. James Garner, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a groin issue and continues his rehabilitation.
Shape, selection and a rising standard
Moyes is expected to stick with the 4-2-3-1 structure that has underpinned much of Everton’s summer work. The predicted lineup tells its own story of continuity and experimentation:
Travers; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Röhl, Ireogbunam, Dewsbury-Hall; Dibling, Barry, Ndiaye.
Plenty rests on that central trio. Röhl, buoyed by his goal in Hamburg, offers craft and composure. Tim Ireogbunam brings legs and bite. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall knits it all together, linking midfield to attack with those driving runs and quick combinations.
Out wide and in the pockets, Lewis Dibling and Louie Barry will again be asked to stretch the game, carry the ball and support Ndiaye. It is a young, energetic attacking unit, one that will be tested by Stuttgart’s intensity and organisation.
At the back, James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite anchor a defence that will have to cope with more sustained pressure than in Hamburg. This is exactly the scenario Moyes will want to see: how his back four and double pivot handle long spells without the ball, how quickly they can turn regain into threat.
Kick-off, coverage and what it all means
Stuttgart vs Everton kicks off at 4:00 pm BST on Saturday 8th August at the MHPArena in Stuttgart. The game will be streamed live via evertontv on a one-off match pass, with supporters also able to follow updates on the ToffeeWeb Live Forum.
Pre-season often drifts into a blur of minutes, drills and half-pace contests. This one feels different. A Champions League-level opponent, a Premier League side still knitting itself together, World Cup returnees stepping back into club colours, and a new signing waiting just over the horizon.
If Everton want to step into the new season with conviction, this is the afternoon to show they can stand up to a team that already knows how to live at the top end of the table.
