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SUNDAY 12 NOV 2023 | 1PM KO | OFFICIAL DIGITAL PROGRAMME

v CHELSEA

Bill Kenwright CBE 1945-2023

Official Matchday Programme

MANAGER’S NOTES

BRIAN SORENSEN Good afternoon, Evertonians. Welcome back to Walton Hall Park for today’s match against Chelsea. It was good to return from the international break with a well-earned point against Tottenham Hotspur. There were parts of the game when we looked in control, had opportunities to lead, but there were also elements of our game we can improve on.

The consistency of her squad is outstanding, and she is one of the pioneers of making this league what it is today and has played a significant role in helping strengthen the Lionesses squad.

A lot has been thrown at the group so far this season; injuries, illness, players playing out of position, but I cannot fault the attitude of our girls.

It will be near-impossible for another manager to replicate her level of success in this division. Women’s football in England will forever be grateful for her work, and it has been an honour to compete against her.

While we may have been unable to be consistent in terms of team selection, our processes, and the way we work, remain the same.

Today’s match will be incredibly tough. They have shown already this season that they are the most ruthless team in the league.

Our system is not crucial on one player, we want to be super dynamic, that our squad can be deployed across multiple positions, being able to adapt and be open to new experiences.

However, I go back to my previous point about being consistent in our performance. In order to compete against a top side like Chelsea, you must be 100-per-cent committed in every aspect of your game.

That is crucial for our players’ mindset, we want them to play with confidence regardless of where on the field they find themselves in. It is also about showing consistency across an entire performance. Last weekend showed we are capable of being excellent in spells, but it is now about doing that over 90 minutes and continuing to build upon the defensive resilience we displayed against Spurs. This afternoon we face another top opponent in Chelsea, and we know how difficult a challenge today brings. It was announced last week that Emma Hayes will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season, and she will undoubtedly go down as one of this league’s all-time greats. evertonfc.com

This will be out biggest challenge this season by far, but one we certainly do not back down from. To compete with Chelsea, we need to deliver a team performance and that has been my message to the squad heading into the weekend. That message extends out to Evertonians, too. You were outstanding in London last weekend and again on Thursday night. The reason we play and fight to win is for you. We want to make you proud and hopefully we can do so this afternoon. Enjoy the game. Brian 3

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Official Matchday Programme

CAPTAIN'S NOTES

MEGAN FINNIGAN Good afternoon and welcome back to Walton Hall Park for today’s match against Chelsea. It is our third game in the space of a week against another top opponent, but we are all motivated as ever to compete against arguably the best team in the division. Last weekend we earned a valuable point against an in-form Tottenham Hotspur side, and we have taken the positives from that performance into our preparation for today’s game.

an excellent performance. Chelsea have the strongest squad in the league, so we will need to be at our absolute best across the 90 minutes if we are to take something from the game.

There are a lot of factors that go into preparing for a match like this. The first is belief.

For us as a group of players, we are frustrated with our start to the season. The performances have been there, and we feel we should have more points on the board than we do currently.

For me, you can’t go into these games fearful, you have to believe you can take something from the game.

Those games are behind us now, what is important is how we continue to raise our level, stick together and continue to trust the process.

For us it is about working really, really hard, having a positive mindset and trying to contain them as much as possible.

I mentioned in my notes a few weeks ago that one thing I cannot fault with this group is the unity within the team, and that still is very much the case.

If things go against us in the game, it is about trying to bounce back from that.

It is our biggest strength, and we should utilise it more. Everyone has their part to play in it.

When you look back at this fixture last season, we went behind but then we equalised before halftime. We contained them for a lot of the game, then they score late on.

We are yet to pick up a positive result at home this season, however, I see no reason why that cannot start today.

We need to have a similar attitude heading into today’s game.

However, in order to achieve that we will need your support from the first whistle to the last.

Externally, there may be some who do not expect us to get a result. I think that suits us.

Home and away, you have been brilliant so far this season. You give us a boost of energy when we need it most.

It means that there is less pressure on us, and we can go out and play freely. It is similar in a way to the external noise leading into the game at Anfield. No one expected us to win, and we went there and did just that while delivering evertonfc.com

We are counting on you today, but we know you will not let us down. Enjoy the game, Meg 5

PLAYER PROFILES 1

COURTNEY

KATRINE

MEGAN

BROSNAN

VEJE

CAMPBELL

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND POSITION: GOALKEEPER

COUNTRY: DENMARK POSITION: DEFENDER

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND POSITION: DEFENDER

NATHALIE

CLARE

JUSTINE

BJORN

WHEELER

VANHAEVERMAET

COUNTRY: SWEDEN POSITION: DEFENDER

COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA POSITION: MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY: BELGIUM POSITION: MIDFIELDER

Official Matchday Programme

EVERTON 9

TONI

HANNA

EMMA

DUGGAN

BENNISON

BISSELL

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: FORWARD

COUNTRY: SWEDEN POSITION: MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: MIDFIELDER

EMILY

LIBBY

NICOLINE

RAMSEY

HART

SORENSEN

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: GOALKEEPER

COUNTRY: DENMARK POSITION: FORWARD

evertonfc.com

PLAYER PROFILES 17

LUCY

MARTINA

HEATHER

HOPE

PIEMONTE

PAYNE

COUNTRY: SCOTLAND POSITION: MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY: ITALY POSITION: FORWARD

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND POSITION: FORWARD

MEGAN

AURORA

SARA

FINNIGAN

GALLI

HOLMGAARD

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: DEFENDER

COUNTRY: ITALY POSITION: MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY: DENMARK POSITION: DEFENDER

Official Matchday Programme

EVERTON 25

KATJA

ELISE

KAREN

SNOEIJS

STENEVIK

HOLMGAARD

COUNTRY: NETHERLANDS POSITION: FORWARD

COUNTRY: NORWAY POSITION: DEFENDER

COUNTRY: DENMARK POSITION: MIDFIELDER

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ABBY

ANNIE

CLARKE

WILDING

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: FORWARD

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: DEFENDER 9

PLAYER PROFILES 41

ALYSSA

KAROLINE

AHERNE

OLESEN

COUNTRY: ENGLAND POSITION: MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY: DENMARK POSITION: MIDFIELDER

EVERTON

Official Matchday Programme

THE PERFECT WAY FOR GIRLS AGED 5-11 TO GET INVOLVED IN FOOTBALL RE SCAN HE ORE M T U O TO FIND

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PLAYER PROFILES 1

ZECIRA MUSOVIC

MIA FISHEL

ANIEK NOUWEN

MILLIE BRIGHT

Goalkeeper

Striker

Centre-back

SOPHIE INGLE

SJOEKE NUSKEN

JESS CARTER

MELANIE LEUPOLZ

Midfielder

Full-back/Centre-back

Midfielder

12 11

CATARINA MACARIO

LAUREN JAMES

GURO REITEN

ASHLEY LAWRENCE

Striker

Forward

Winger/Attacking Midfielder

Left-back

Official Matchday Programme

CHELSEA 13

KATERINA SVITKOVA

FRAN KIRBY

EVE PERISSET

JESSIE FLEMING

Midfielder

Forward

Right-back

Midfielder

MAREN MJELDE

JOHANNA RYTTING KANERYD

SAM KERR

NIAMH CHARLES

Striker

Full-back/Winger

ERIN CUTHBERT

HANNAH HAMPTON

Midfielder

Goalkeeper

KADEISHA BUCHANAN

Defender

Centre-back/Full-back

Forward

JORJA FOX

Centre-back

evertonfc.com

PLAYER PROFILES 30

ANN-KATRIN BERGER

AGGIE BEEVER-JONES

CERYS BROWN

Goalkeeper

Forward

Defender

CHELSEA

Official Matchday Programme

BLUE SUITS AVAILABLE!

SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER Your chance to run in blue for Everton in the Community! Take part in this year’s BTR Liverpool Santa Dash and raise funds for our core activities across Liverpool City Region. Our programmes support mental health, education, young people and homelessness. We have a limited number of places available at a reduced entry fee of £15. All we ask is for you to pledge to raise a minimum of £50. FUNDRAISING@EVERTONFC.COM evertoninthecommunity.org/santadash

Stronger communities, brighter futures. #ChooseEitC

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Image by: Paul Cooper

Official Matchday Programme

On Next Everton Steps Aurora Galli has hailed the return of attacking teammate Martina Piemonte and explained how she can play a key role in helping Everton start to build momentum. The Toffees came from behind to earn a valuable point against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, Galli’s excellent spot-kick put the Blues back level. Striker Piemonte, an international teammate of Galli's with Italy, made another step in her road to full recovery from the injury she sustained against Leicester City last month by joining the action against Spurs just after the hour mark. While reflecting on last weekend’s result, Galli explained to the Official Matchday Programme why summer arrival Piemonte can play a crucial evertonfc.com

role in Everton's success this season. "We can expect big things from her," said the midfielder. "We need her quality. We want to have her playing for us because we know if we put one ball in the area, she will be there ready to score. This is what we need. We need someone who can hold the ball and can score. "Of course, it's not easy for her to come back from injury and we don't expect much initially. But day by day, she will continue to work and help us. The goals will arrive." Piemonte enjoyed her best goalscoring season to date in 2022/23 while at AC Milan, netting 14 times and registering four assists in just 24 appearances. Although she's yet to open her

Blues account in the Women’s Super League, the forward has promised the goals will come and vowed to continue battling hard to help the team as much as she can in the meantime. "The goals are coming I promise," said Piemonte. "I am so happy to be back out with the team, and I'm happy for Yaya (Galli) to get on the scoresheet. It was an important point for us. "I'm glad I could help the team, because this is my main goal, to help the team. Of course, I had a chance to score [before the penalty] and have to do better as we could have won 2-1, but we managed to secure an important point. "We have to continue working now, win the next game, and then keep that momentum going." 17

WHEELER OUTLINES POSITIVE EVERTON STRIDES Clare Wheeler’s bright start to the season has only intensified her love for football. The versatile midfielder has been presented with new challenges early in the current campaign, playing in a new position at wing-back for Everton, while also being part of the Australia team setting out to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024. The former saw Wheeler thrive when, after an injury to Lucy Hope, she was thrust into action moments after kick-off in the Blues' victory over Liverpool at Anfield in the recent Merseyside derby. That confidence carried over into the international break, where the 25-year-old performed immensely in all three outings and picked up a first-ever goal for her country. Despite a hectic international

schedule that took place on the opposite side of the globe, Wheeler jetted back to Merseyside to ensure she was available for selection for last weekend’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur. “Unfortunately, Australia is so far away but I wouldn’t trade it [for the world],” she told the Official Everton Programme.

to further develop her game. “It’s a learning curve, but I think that’s a part that I enjoy about football,” Wheeler continued. “The way I’m playing it, it’s a bit of midfield, a bit of wingback I’m having fun. “It’s all about growth and building as a player, that's what I’m looking to do.”

“Any minutes are minutes I want to take [for my country], and I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to play at the weekend.”

The Matildas began their Olympic qualifying campaign with three consecutive wins, as Wheeler received well-earned plaudits for her efforts in an Australia jersey.

Several injuries in the Blues' camp have forced members of the squad – including Wheeler – to adapt to new roles in order to cover absentees.

She says her maiden Matildas strike was an added bonus to what was an already successful international camp.

While the change of position was unexpected, she welcomes the challenge - and an opportunity

“It’s pretty hard to articulate, I was just overjoyed [when I scored against the Philippines], and I think you could see that

Official Matchday Programme

from my celebration, just pure enjoyment,” she said. “It was everything I had envisioned and something I really wanted to do in my career. To finally do it was the cherry on top.” Looking ahead to today’s meeting against Chelsea, evertonfc.com

Wheeler says the Blues will take the positives from their draw at Spurs as they look to build momentum. “I think Sunday’s result shows our perseverance,” Wheeler added. “The point really mattered to us and even though we went a

goal down, we weren’t going to give up, we were going to put a shift in. “We really wanted to come away with three points, but we didn’t want to lose. “We have to look at the positives and look to rebuild.”

WHERE

GREATNESS LIVES

WOMENSLEAGUES.THEFA.COM

Official Matchday Programme

UPCOMING HOME FIXTURES SUN 19 NOV | 1PM

Everton

Bristol City

Man City

Leicester City

West Ham

Aston Villa

Liverpool

Arsenal

SUN 17 DEC | 1PM

Everton SUN 28 JAN | 1PM

Everton SUN 18 FEB | 1PM

Everton SUN 17 MAR | 1PM

Everton SUN 24 MAR | 1PM

Everton SUN 28 APR | 1PM

Everton

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KATRINE VEJE

IV P GUEST?

a fan of I’ve been . m a h k c and once David Be as young port for w I e c in him s agen air t Copenh autograph! waited a h rs for is four hou

POST-MATCH CHEAT MEAL? People will laugh, but I really like porridge, so I’d go with that!

HALF-TIME

A Danish band

ENTERTAIN

called The Minds

Of 99 because

MENT ?

I love them! I’m

a big fan.

Official Matchday Programme

ONE SPORT

I like tennis

ING EVENT

and I really

TO AT TE

ND AFTERW want to wat A R D S? ch the US O pen live.

HANGE? ONE RULEbuC t I’d say no offside. That’s a hard one,

DRESS CODE ?

I would go w – in bla ith oversized ck. I’d g suits o with that!

CELEBRATION/PARTY VENUE? I would fancy going to Thailand to get some drinks, get a tan, and just chill.

evertonfc.com

Everton in the Community clinched a prestigious double at the Armstrong Project North West Football Awards, reaffirming its place as a leading Premier League Community Scheme. Everton Football Club’s official charity fought off strong competition to win Community Club of the Year, Premier League and Community Initiative of the Year for its Blue Base Pantry scheme which to date has supported more than 26,000 local residents with access to discounted food and other key wraparound services, such as employment and housing support. Everton in the Community was proudly crowned the ‘Community Club of the Year’ for a second year in a row in front of a packed-out event at Emirates Old Trafford which saw clubs from across the North West come together to celebrate the best of football both on and off the pitch over the last 12 months.

The charity was acknowledged for its life-changing impact over the past year with highlights including the launch of the first mental health and wellbeing hub attached to a Premier League Club in The People’s Place, and the region’s first Digital Skills Lab, completing a £13million regeneration of a key part of L4. Elsewhere, EitC has also extended its provision to support people with long-term physical health conditions, whilst a new children’s mental health programme for those who have been bereaved by suicide or self-inflicted death and a dedicated programme to support females with the transition back to civilian life have all been launched over the past year. Launched in the summer of 2022, the Blue Base Pantry is a memberrun initiative which aims to tackle poverty in all of its forms. Situated in one of the most deprived wards in the UK, the pantry supports

over 100 L4 residents each week, helping them navigate through the cost of living crisis and the social challenges that come with it. Despite launching only 18 months ago, the pantry is now the third busiest ‘Your Local Pantry’ in the UK and was recently cited as an example of best practice in the UK Parliament’s DEFRA Food Security Reports. Following on from another awardwinning year for the charity, Everton in the Community has recently launched a five-year strategy to build stronger communities and brighter futures. Formed through three pillars in Learns, Minds and Thrives, the Trinity project will see EitC wager a relentless battle against poverty, inequality and health disparities paving the way for a brighter future by empowering thousands of residents to achieve meaningful work, better health, enriched lives and lifelong learning.

WALTON HALL PARK

19 NOV | 1PM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

2023/24 AWAY KIT AVAILABLE NOW

EVERTON ONE - EVERTON TWO - EVERTONDIRECT.COM

Official Matchday Programme

WALTON HALL PARK

17 DEC | 1PM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW evertonfc.com

EVERTON

CHELSEA

Manager: Brian Sørensen

Manager: Emma Hayes

Courtney Brosnan

Zecira Musovic

Katrine Veje

Mia Fishel

Megan Campbell

Aniek Nouwen

Nathalie Bjorn

Millie Bright

Clare Wheeler

Sophie Ingle

Justine Vanhaevermaet

Sjoeke Nusken

Toni Duggan

Jess Carter

Hanna Bennison

Melanie Leupolz

Emma Bissell

Catarina Macario

Emily Ramsey

Lauren James

Libby Hart

Guro Reiten

Nicoline Sorensen

Ashley Lawrence

Lucy Hope

Katerina Svitkova

Martina Piemonte

Fran Kirby

Heather Payne

Eve Perisset

Megan Finnigan

Jessie Fleming

Aurora Galli

Maren Mjelde

Sara Holmgaard

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd

Katja Snoeijs

Sam Kerr

Elise Stenevik

Niamh Charles

Karen Holmgaard

Erin Cuthbert

Abby Clarke

Hannah Hampton

Annie Wilding

Kadeisha Buchanan

Alyssa Aherne

Jorja Fox

Karoline Olesen

Ann-Katrin Berger

Aggie Beever-Jones

Cerys Brown