Everton will face some familiar foes next season after Leeds United and Burnley secured automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
The Toffees have enjoyed a productive campaign against the promoted teams this term, picking up 10 points from their four games to date.
With fixtures still to come against Ipswich Town (H) and Southampton (A), their points tally could look even more impressive by the end of the campaign.
Everton will undoubtedly fancy their chances of continuing in the same vein when they face Leeds United and Burnley during the 2025/26 season.
Their previous record against Leeds is not overly impressive, with the club winning just 36 of their previous 122 meetings in all competitions.
One of the most notorious fixtures between Everton and Leeds was staged at Goodison Park in 1964, when the visitors snatched a narrow 1-0 victory.
Everton’s Sandy Brown set the tone for a brutal contest in the fourth minute. He was dismissed after punching Leeds midfielder Jonny Giles – a decision which sparked outrage amongst the home fans.
The hostility in the stadium forced the referee to take both teams off the pitch to allow the players and fans to cool. This was a first in an English league game.
Mounted police had to disperse angry fans from the streets around Goodison after the game, and the fallout rumbled on for several weeks after the fixture.
In an era where Leeds had a questionable reputation for their underhanded tactics, some people felt the reaction from the home fans was justified.
Giles has admitted that the atmosphere during the infamous ‘Battle of Goodison’ was like nothing he had previously experienced in professional football.
“The sending off got the crowd really going,” Giles told Off the Ball. “Almost straight after it, there was a long ball across the field. Two players jumped for it and collided and the crowd went really mad.
“Now there was no barriers in those days and we were very near the crowd. So, what the referee had to do was take the teams off.
“First time it ever happened and maybe the last time it ever happened, just to let the crowd cool down. They didn’t get on the pitch, but they were very, very near. You could feel it. The atmosphere was red-hot.”
While the 1964 clash between Everton and Leeds is etched into footballing folklore, meetings with Burnley have never caused the same level of controversy.
Everton have the upper hand in the head-to-head, losing just 38 of the previous 123 fixtures between the two sides in all competitions.
They have won four of their last five meetings with the Clarets – a run which includes a thrilling 3-1 victory in the Premier League in September 2021.
In the days when Sean Dyche was in the Burnley dugout, his team was renowned for being a tough nut to crack if they got their noses in front.
Ben Mee opened the scoring for Burnley against the run of play after 53 minutes, but Everton quickly regrouped and hauled themselves back into the game.
Michale Keane headed home the equaliser in the 60th minute, nodding past goalkeeper Nick Pope after a fine cross from Andros Townsend.
The winger sent Goodison wild five minutes later, curling a superb left-footed effort beyond Pope’s despairing dive to put Everton 2-1 ahead.
Demerai Gray netted an outstanding third goal after 66 minutes to leave Dyche pondering how his team had spurned a winning position.
Everton fans will hope for more of the same against each of the newly-promoted sides next season as they strive to build on the recent improvement under manager David Moyes.