Everton secured their first win of pre-season with a comfortable 4-2 victory over Blackpool.
Dele Alli, Nathan Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko were among the stand out performers as Frank Lampard reverted to five at the back. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Demarai Gray left out of the squad as a "precaution", Lampard welcomed the attacking threat his side still posed.
The Blues boss refused to get carried away with the victory, which followed defeats in Everton's opening pre-season games against Arsenal and Minnesota United. But he was pleased with elements of the display at Bloomfield Road and labelled the game a step forward in his preparations for the new season. Away from the headlines of the Blues' trip to the seaside, here are some moments that may have been missed.
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Yerry Mina refuses to back down in the face of a challenge
Yerry Mina started alongside James Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey as Everton played three centre backs and looked solid during the first 45 minutes. The sight of the defender winding up rival players - or refusing to back down when others attempt to intimidate him - has been a common one during his time at the Blues. One highlight was his disruptive role in the crucial win over Chelsea at Goodison Park in May. Against Arsenal, in Baltimore, he was involved in altercations with Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel and on Sunday he was entertained by Gary Madine, the pair repeatedly seen speaking with each other or grappling near the ball in a battle Mina comfortably won.
New signing plays 'quarterback' role
James Tarkowski was a signing that made a lot of sense for the Blues. The centre back offers leadership, resilience and a healthy fitness record in a key area in which Everton suffered a series of disruptive injuries last season. Another part of his game that Lampard has spoken highly of, though which may have been overlooked during his time at Burnley, is his ability on the ball. Lampard is in the hunt for more options in midfield but a bonus of Tarkowski's signing is his array of passing. When given time against Blackpool - as he did against Minnesota United - the defender sprayed balls around the pitch that created opportunities and eased pressure. It was Tarkowski's searching ball from the left that set Nathan Patterson free down Everton's right for the first goal. He could have had an assist after he split the Blackpool defence only for Salomon Rondon's shot to then be be blocked. Tarkowski, operating almost like and American Football quarterback, also nearly picked out the adventurous Vitalii Mykolenko on a number of occasions.
We're Going to Win the League
Spirit of the Blues became the anthem of Everton's Premier League survival bid, most notably sung non-stop long after the important away win at Leicester City. On Sunday, a chant not heard in some time rung out from the sold-out away end after Tom Davies put the Blues 2-0 up after just 11 minutes. Gone were the nerves of last season, this time replaced by a tongue-in-cheek rendition of: "We're going to win the league."
Dele Alli the popular goalscorer as teammates mark his goal together
Dele Alli missed a guilt-edged opportunity in the Minnesota United game but responded with an impressive display at Blackpool that saw him score two goals. The first was a tap-in from a Mykolenko cross that appeared to go down well with the whole Everton side. Every outfield player made the effort to track Alli down and congratulate him in what must be a clear sign of the 26-year-old's popularity in the dressing room.
Seagulls - seagulls everywhere
While it was no surprise to see seagulls on the British seaside, the birds were an interesting sight during Everton's match with Blackpool. A significant number of seagulls hovered and swirled just above the player's heads for much of the game and seemed completely unperturbed by the threat of a ball coming their way.
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