There will be as much intrigue in the stands as there will be on the pitch when Everton face Minnesota United in the club's second game of pre-season.
A near-sold out crowd at Allianz Field - as well as Blues fans around the world - will have their eyes on how events play out on the pitch as Frank Lampard continues to experiment with his squad. Academy prospects and players who spent last year on loan or on the periphery of the first team will once again have an opportunity to make their case for greater involvement in the coming season.
But attention will also be paid over whether representatives of the US consortium involved in discussions about a possible takeover of Everton, since ruled out by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, attend the game. Key figures involved in the talks are based in Minneapolis, the 'twin city' of neighbouring St Paul, where the game will be played.
