We are looking forward to welcoming you to Goodison Park, under the lights, for one of the most attractive fixtures of the season.

We have seen in our past two matches here just how influential our supporters can be.

It is no coincidence that two of the most inspiring atmospheres generated have resulted in two of our biggest victories this season, against Brentford in the FA Cup and Leeds United in the Premier League.

Our Fan Engagement Team worked closely with our supporters before those fixtures, listening to your requests and trying to facilitate your suggestions to produce the most inspiring atmospheres imaginable.

We have continued to do that ahead of this evening’s fixture and hopefully the outcome will be just as raucous, just as stirring.  

It goes without saying we will need that unity and that passion again for the visit of the reigning champions.

Manchester City are undoubtedly one of the finest sides in world football, but we have already witnessed the difference a noisy and inspiring Goodison Park can make.

We hope that can be the case again, and will continue to be the case between now and the end of the season.

Your support can be paramount in helping Frank Lampard, his staff and his players produce the performances we want to see here.

And to that end I would like to thank the many thousands of you who have already secured your places at Goodison for next season through renewing your Season Tickets.

Since we announced the pricing and deadlines last week, we have seen strong renewal rates, again demonstrating the fierce passion and enduring loyalty of Evertonians. We remain incredibly grateful for the tremendous support you continue to give us.

As covered in an update last week from our Director of Communications, Revenue and International Growth, Richard Kenyon, increasing matchday income is just one part of the Club’s commercial strategy, a strategy which has been progressing well over recent months.

Growing our income from commercial partnerships is an integral part of this plan and we have a very experienced, knowledgeable and ambitious team in place to ensure we make the most of the opportunities we have ahead of us.

This team - based at the Royal Liver Building, in offices in London and based out of the USA - has extensive experience of working for and with large brands, leagues and some of the very top European clubs. I believe we are now better resourced and skilled than we have ever been in this area of the Club, and I look forward to sharing some exciting news on our partnership portfolio in the months ahead.

We should not be shy of declaring that we are constantly looking at areas where we can generate more income across the whole Club.

We want to compete with the clubs at the very top of the Premier League and to help in that aim we need to bring in more revenue from every possible avenue.

Partnerships are a big driver for us, as is Memberships, events and tours, while there are lots of new and exciting opportunities around digital and the metaverse.

We will continue to explore every possible avenue. Matchday income is a part of that, but we still want to make sure we’re pricing in a way where we are keeping true to our long-held values about affordable football at Goodison. That has always been one of our key values and will continue to be.

Family is another of the Club’s key values that we live with every day, and I would also like to thank all those fans who have supported the Everton Stakeholder Steering Group (ESSG) by completing the survey that was circulated last week.

That information will enable us to have the Fan Advisory Board operational by the end of the season.

Our Strategic Review also continues to make progress. Given its depth and complexity, however - with all structural levels of the football operation coming under scrutiny - it is not something we can rush.

It may take several months to conclude, given the importance of ensuring that the ongoing structure is robust for many years to come.

I will share those findings with you in due course, but first we are focused on this evening’s challenge.It is a demanding fixture, but with the same passion, unity and togetherness displayed in the first two home matches under Frank’s stewardship, hopefully we will see another inspired performance.

COYB!

Denise