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• Dyche hoping Everton channel 'calmness and positivity' for Brighton opener

  Sean Dyche is ready for Everton to put last season's challenges behind them by making a positive start to the Premier League against Brighton on Saturday.

  Everton had to contend with two points deductions last season, but an impressive run of results at the end of the campaign ensured they comfortably avoided relegation.

  While they did not make the best start to pre-season, going winless in their first three games, they finished on a positive note, with a win against Preston North End and a draw with Roma.

  Though they will be without key players for their opener, including Jarrad Branthwaite, Dyche is optimistic about what the season will bring.

  "You get the sense that, after last season's challenges and the positive end, I think there is more calmness and positivity," Dyche said in his press conference.

  "The reality of knowing the truth of what the situation is helps. But generally, being up and around people there is a better feeling.

  "We have been trying to bring in players who fit into the club. We have worked hard collectively with the scouts to get the right players. The only balance to that is that they don't have much Premier League experience, so it is how quick they can be effective and adapt."

  Meanwhile, Brighton are preparing for their first campaign under new manager Fabian Hurzeler.

  They won all four of their pre-season games, scoring 14 goals and conceding just three, and James Milner believes the German has already started to make his mark.

  "There is a good mix of the last manager [Roberto De Zerbi], who was build-up orientated, but maybe a bit of Jurgen Klopp thrown in," Milner told Sky Sports.

  "The manager has been very clear about what he wants from us as a team and individuals. He has put his own stamp and intensity on things, he wants us to play front foot with and without the ball."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Everton – Jordan Pickford

  Everton have lost their opening Premier League match in each of the last two seasons – both 1-0 at home – to Chelsea (2022-23) and Fulham (2023-24).

  If they are to avoid starting their campaign with a defeat for a third year in a row for the first time since a run of four between 2008 and 2011, Jordan Pickford could be the key by leading from the back.

  Brighton – Evan Ferguson

  Evan Ferguson, then aged 18, scored in Brighton's 4-1 win against Luton Town on the opening weekend of the Premier League last season.

  The only teenager to score on MD1 in more than one campaign is Michael Owen (1997-98 and 1998-99).

  MATCH PREDICTION: EVERTON WIN

  Everton won their first four home Premier League games against Brighton but are since winless in their last three against them at Goodison Park (drawing one, losing two).

  However, Dyche's side have won five of their last eight Premier League games (drawn one, lost two), having been winless in their previous 13 (drawn six, lost seven). Indeed, since the first victory in that run on April 6, only four teams have won more Premier League points than the Toffees (16).

  Meanwhile, Brighton lost their first match in three of their first four Premier League campaigns but have begun their last three seasons with victory. The Seagulls are looking to win their opening league game in four consecutive seasons for the first time ever.

  They struggled at the end of last season though, losing their final two games to Chelsea and Manchester United, while they have not lost three consecutive league games since a run of six between February and March 2022.

  The team scoring first has never lost a Premier League meeting between Everton and Brighton (won 10, drawn three), although the Toffees went 1-0 up in both games last season and both ended 1-1.

  New manager Hurzeler will be hoping to get off to a winning start for his first game in charge. Born in February 1993, he will be the first manager to take charge of a Premier League game who was born after the competition started.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Everton – 40.4%

  Draw – 26.6%

  Brighton – 33%

• Athletic Club 1-1 Getafe: Uche earns Geta Azulones draw in LaLiga opener

  Christantus Uche's second-half goal earned Getafe a point in a 1-1 draw with Athletic Club to kick off the new LaLiga season.

  Oihan Sancet had given the hosts the lead, but despite some late chances from substitute Nico Williams, they could not get off to a winning start.

  Uche could have easily given Getafe the lead in the first half after racing in behind Athletic's high line, but he failed to catch the shot cleanly on the bounce as Alex Padilla pushed it away.

  Sancet scored the first goal of the 2024-25 campaign just before the half-hour mark, quickly getting it out of his feet to beat David Soria with a pacy shot into the right corner.

  Uche did find a way past Padilla in the second half, meeting Luis Milla's cross to head Getafe back on level terms.

  Williams could have scored a late winner for Athletic off the bench, but Soria was equal to both of his efforts after he cut inside from the left. 

  Data Debrief: Close encounters

  Both teams may be up and running with a point, but they may look at this as an opportunity missed.

  Athletic have now failed to win their first game of the season in any of the last five campaigns (drawing three, losing two), while Getafe are winless in four such matches in the competition (one draw, two losses).

  Sancet has picked up where he left off though, and has now scored three goals in his last five games for Athletic, as many as in his previous 29. 

• Iraola eager to make fast start to Premier League against Forest

  Andoni Iraola has stressed the importance of avoiding a slow start to the new Premier League season as they travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

  The Cherries initially struggled to find their footing under the Spaniard last season, failing to win any of their first 10 games, but went on to record their highest points tally in the competition.

  They did not lose during a strong pre-season but have since lost star man Dominic Solanke to Tottenham, leaving question marks over their chances of repeating their success.

  Iraola's main aim, though, is to ensure they get three points on the board sooner rather than later.

  "We have to arrive straight away at the beginning of the season," Iraola told Sky Sports. "We cannot control expectations, and I've said a lot of times that I don't trust the long-term goals too much.

  "Once we play against Forest, if we lose, [people will say] we're going to get relegated and if we win, [people will say] we're going to be in the top 10!

  "You have to control what you can control. We have to focus in every game. We have to try in every game."

  Forest, meanwhile, are looking to put a dismal end to the 2023-24 season behind them, having won just four games after the turn of the year, as they embark on their first full season under Nuno Espirito Santo.

  The Tricky Trees also had a point deduction for a breach of the Premier League's rules to contend with before they staved off relegation in the final weeks, but they enjoyed a positive pre-season in which they only lost once (won three, drew two).

  And Nuno's objective for this season is simple: "Hopefully, we improve.

  "That's the main idea, that we improve our game. The results in the pre-season don't mean a lot now. We now have the real moments to evaluate what we need to improve. There's always a chance to do better."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Nottingham Forest – Morgan Gibbs-White

  Since their return to the Premier League in 2022, Morgan Gibbs-White has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other Forest player (28 – 10 goals, 18 assists).

  His 18 assists in this time are twice as many as any other Forest player, while in the competition's history, only Ian Woan has provided more for the Tricky Trees (27).

  Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo

  Solanke scored a hat-trick in this exact fixture last season and netted 19 goals in the Premier League for the Cherries last term, but his departure has left Iraola with a hole to fill.

  Semenyo was their second-highest scorer with eight goals in 33 appearances, and it may be up to him to provide the spark for Bournemouth.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  Forest are winless in their last eight league games against Bournemouth (drawn three, lost five), losing each of their last three at home against the Cherries.

  And they have lost their opening league game in each of the last five seasons, conceding exactly two goals each time.

  However, Nuno has not lost on matchday one in any of his last 11 league campaigns (won seven, drawn four), considering time in Portugal, Spain, England and Saudi Arabia. His side have won their last four such matches, keeping a clean sheet each time.

  It is just the second time these two sides have faced each other in their opening league match of a season, following a 0-0 draw at the City Ground in League One in 2007-08.

  Bournemouth are actually unbeaten in their last four season openers in the Premier League (won two, drawn two) after losing their first match in each of their first seasons in the competition.

  The Cherries have only failed to score in three of their last 30 Premier League games, with each of those coming against last season's top three (0-4 v Liverpool in January, 0-1 v Manchester City in February, 0-3 v Arsenal in May).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Nottingham Forest – 38.1%

  Draw – 26.4%

  Bournemouth – 35.4%