August 2003

August 2003
					F	A
FA Prem	Sat 16	15:00	A	Arsenal	1	2
FA Prem	Sat 23	15:00	H	Fulham	3	1
FA Prem	Tue 26	20:00	A	Charlton	2	2
FA Prem	Sat 30	12:30	H	Liverpool	0	3

Hopes are high after the 2002-3 campaign sees the Blues finishing a 'Magnificent' Seventh and all the talk is of David Moyes' side hitting even higher targets by the time August comes.

The bar has been raised, but Moyes is confident that his troops have got what it takes to be successful. "If the players perform to the same level as they did last year then we've got nothing to worry about."

However Everton enter the season without a single new signing and the campaign begins with a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, Radzinski netting the Blues' late consolation, with Li Tie seeing red after coming on as a substitute.

The first game at Goodison brings a 3-1 victory over Fulham - Gary Naysmith, Unsworth and Watson all scoring - and further encouragement comes with a 2-2 draw at Charlton where Rooney opens his account with a spectacular finish.

The Goodison derby on August's final weekend provides a setback as Liverpool win 3-0 - an unprecedented fourth successive win for the Reds on Everton territory.

STAT ATTACK - AUGUST

• In the game with Fulham, three goals were scored at Goodison for the first time since the game with Bolton Wanderers in April 2002.
  
• Mark Pembridge played his final game in the Merseyside derby before completing a move to Fulham.