A look behind-the-scenes after Everton's landmark friendly against Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: Farhad Moshiri (L) looks on next to David Dein during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and AS Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Former Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, sitting alongside David Dein, ex-Arsenal co-owner and one of the founders of the Premier League, watches the Roma friendly at Hill Dickinson Stadium
(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Everton ended pre-season with defeat to Roma but the occasion remained a special one for the Blues. Tens of thousands of supporters packed Hill Dickinson Stadium to watch David Moyes’ team for the first time in their new home.
It was a landmark day for the club after years of struggle - and one that everyone associated with Everton hopes will be the start of a bright new era.
The ECHO was, of course, in attendance for the match. And here are a few bits and pieces of note from behind-the scenes...
Highest profile visit from The Friedkin Group
This friendly was always going to be a significant one for The Friedkin Group. Last summer, when the same sides met at Goodison Park, the US outfit had walked away from talks with then Blues owner Farhad Moshiri and it looked as though the club’s future lay in different hands.
Events played out differently, however, and TFG returned to the table and completed their takeover in December. While the Friedkins have had a presence at games since, neither owner Dan Friedkin nor son Ryan had attended an Everton match. That changed on Saturday, with Ryan making the trip to Merseyside.
He was not the only high-profile visitor. Moshiri was also present, as was stadium architect Dan Meis.
Thierno Barry’s flicks and tricks
The Blues have not been renowned for flair for some time but maybe that is about to change. Jack Grealish is being courted and the potential for him to link up with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is an exciting one.
Another player who showed glimpses of skill against Roma was Thierno Barry. The new forward was full of flicks and tricks in front of the south stand during the warm-up and he carried some of that verve onto the pitch - the highlight being a clever first touch that allowed him spin past Daniele Ghilardi on the touchline and create space to run into.
Moyes was pleased with Barry’s impact but, speaking after the match, maintained his position that the 22-year-old is a player who will need time to adapt to his new home.
Vitalii Mykolenko exits stadium unaided
Everton will be sweating on the fitness of Vitalii Mykolenko ahead of the season opener against Leeds United next Monday. The left-back, so important to the Blues’ defence, was forced off the pitch in the first 10 minutes with an injury suffered while conceding a corner.
The Blues do have left back cover with Adam Aznou having signed from Bayern Munich this summer. But the 19-year-old is inexperienced and did endure some positional challenges before being taken off late in the match.
While Moyes was yet to learn the severity of Mykolenko’s injury when he spoke to reporters after the fixture, the Ukraine international at least left the stadium on foot - without crutches or any visible strapping.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the wars
New signing Dewsbury-Hall impressed in his first game for Everton and was positive when he spoke to reporters.
The 26-year-old enjoyed making playing with his new teammates and hopes to build on a good first impression. He was bearing some battle scars in the post-match mixed zone as a result of his exertions, however.
He explained: “It all started from the reception that me and the team got. It was pretty overwhelming to be honest.
“It was a special moment for me. From that second, I was like: ‘Yes, I need to try show something for the fans and do what I can,’ and credit to them, it was an enjoyable moment. I feed off that energy. That’s what you want as a footballer, it brings out the best in you and makes you want to fight for the team - I’ve got scratches all over me.”
Evan Ferguson and Seamus Coleman share embrace
According to some reports at the start of the summer, Evan Ferguson could well have ended up being part of this fixture but for the home side, not the visitors.
As the ECHO reported throughout that period, the striker was not at the top of Moyes’ wishlist - while the Blues boss had taken a look at him in January, his gaze was elsewhere when he started work on the summer rebuild that remains ongoing.
Instead it was Everton’s sister club in the Friedkin Group stable, Roma, that took the plunge and his loan move from Brighton & Hove Albion has started well.
Ferguson has friends in the Everton squad and that much was clear as he left the stadium after his side’s 1-0 win.
The 20-year-old was leaving alone through the West Stand when he heard a shout calling for him to wait from Seamus Coleman.
The pair, who know each other from Republic of Ireland duty, then embraced and walked out with their arms over each other’s shoulders.