What The Papers Say - 21 August

The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

Wednesday’s Liverpool Echo reports Everton could equal a Club record that has stood for more than 100 years when the Blues face Aston Villa on Friday night.

Everton are the only Premier League team not to have conceded a goal so far this season, having drawn 0-0 at Crystal Palace and beat Watford 1-0 at Goodison Park. And if Marco Silva’s side make it a hat-trick of clean sheets at Villa Park they will become the first Toffees team to open a top-flight campaign with three consecutive shutouts since 1912/13.

The local read claims manager Silva is lining up a behind-closed-doors friendly as he seeks to help his summer signings reach peak fitness. The paper suggests the game will take place at the Club’s USM Finch Farm training complex.

The Daily Star, meanwhile, continues to link Everton with a move for free agent Franck Ribery.

The paper speculates the Blues have been “offered the chance" to sign the 36-year-old, who left Bayern Munich this summer after 12 years with the Bundesliga club.