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Everton player ratings as the Blues were beaten 1-0 by their Championship opponents at the Bet365 Stadium<\/h2>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\nVitalii Mykolenko in action(Image: Tim Williams\/Action Plus\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/p>\n
Everton slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City in their third pre-season friendly at the bet365 Stadium.<\/p>\n
Despite being cheered on by a sizeable number of away supporters, the Blues were beaten by their Championship opponents, who named two entirely different teams for each half, with 19-year-old Potters substitute Gabriel Kelly netting the only goal of the contest on the hour mark with a long-range strike.<\/p>\n
Everton manager David Moyes handed summer signing Hayden Hackney his debut with the \u00a316.5million summer signing from Middlesbrough playing in a deep central midfield role alongside Harrison Armstrong for the first 45 minutes.<\/p>\nGet YOUR Everton FC Newsletter<\/h3>\n\n
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\nOpen the Echo’s newsletter preference centre RIGHT HERE.<\/strong><\/li>\nOpen up Sport.<\/strong><\/li>\nChoose Everton FC<\/strong> and hit Subscribe.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\nMark Travers 7<\/strong><\/p>\nStood up well to Sam Gallagher to keep out the first big chance of the night, turning his shot around the post and also denied Million Manhoef from distance before tipping an Tomas Rigo effort over the bar but there will be question marks over how he allowed teenage compatriot Gabriel Kelly to beat him from distance.<\/p>\n
Merlin Rohl 6<\/strong><\/p>\nContinuing to fill the problem position of right-back that hasn’t been filled, he looked lively going forwards and forced Stoke keeper Viktor Johansson to palm away a cross-shot, often appearing to offer more of a threat than Dibling in front of him.<\/p>\n
Vitalii Mykolenko 5<\/strong><\/p>\nLooked a little leggy at times \u2013 has he bulked up over the summer? \u2013 and had his work cut out against the lively Manhoef who nutmegged him before putting in a cross late in the first half.<\/p>\n
James Tarkowski 6<\/strong><\/p>\nAllowed Gallagher to ghost past him for the early chance but was pretty solid otherwise with a typically robust display.<\/p>\n
Michael Keane 7<\/strong><\/p>\nEverton’s most accomplished defender on the night, he was a dominant aerial figure in his own penalty area and stood up to the physical challenge.<\/p>\n
Harrison Armstrong 6<\/strong><\/p>\nPlaying alongside new boy Hackney in the engine room before the debutant’s half-time withdrawal, he showed some nice touches and decent combinations with George, but looks like he needs to show more self-belief as he was a little safety-first on occasions.<\/p>\n
Hayden Hackney 6<\/strong><\/p>\nTidy start on his Everton debut he made some nice passes early on which will have settled his nerves but while he combined well with his new team-mates, his integration process looks gradual and he was the only away player to go off at the break.<\/p>\n
Tyler Dibling 5<\/strong><\/p>\nEnjoyed a few moments of promise when he was able to run at his opponents but most of Everton’s wing play came down the opposite flank, although he picked out a nice pass to set up Dewsbury-Hall.<\/p>\n
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 6<\/strong><\/p>\nDetermined attitude for a pre-season game, he put in a decent shift but will be disappointed not to have put Everton in front when picked out by Dibling with his shot being tipped over the bar by Stoke substitute keeper Josh Griffiths.<\/p>\n
Tyrique George 7<\/strong><\/p>\nMost of Everton’s attacking promise came down his side of the pitch as he repeatedly tried to take the game to Stoke and produce an opening, even if his bright ideas seldom bore fruit.<\/p>\n
Beto 5<\/strong><\/p>\nHad a couple of decent openings and a chance to go one-on-one with the keeper but appeared to check back, he offered his usual focal point to the attack yet nothing quite dropped for him.<\/p>\n
Substitutes<\/strong><\/p>\nTim Iroegbunam (on 46 for Hackney) 5<\/strong><\/p>\nOffered a different dimension to Hackney in the centre of the park after the break as a more mobile figure without being able to break through the lines.<\/p>\n
Thierno Barry (on 60 for Beto) 5<\/strong><\/p>\nYou would hope he entered the action with a point to prove but rather than dominating second tier opponents, some of his touches were loose.<\/p>\n
Charly Alcaraz (on 60 for George) 5<\/strong><\/p>\nBrought his ability drive at opponents from deep but fluffed his lines with an inviting free-kick from a central position just outside the Stoke area which crashed into the wall.<\/p>\n
Jake O’Brien (on 60 for Tarkowski) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nOff the bench in his favoured centre-back role, he was solid for the final half an hour and denied a late equaliser when he headed onto the crossbar from McNeil’s corner-kick.<\/p>\n
Dwight McNeil (on 60 for Dibling) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nRun-out off the bench as another inverted right-winger, he picked out O’Brien for his last-minute headed chance from a corner.<\/p>\n
Adam Aznou (on 60 for Mykolenko) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nInteresting to see him get a chance, he certainly seemed to offer a bit more going forward than Mykolenko even if doubts persist over his defensive ability and physicality.<\/p>\n
Tom King (on 60 for Travers) 7<\/strong><\/p>\nMade a good save down to his left to prevent Robert Bozenik from doubling Stoke’s lead and then kept out a chance from Milan Smit near the end.<\/p>\n
Braiden Graham (on 70 for Dewsbury-Hall) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nDetermined cameo from the 18-year-old, perhaps he’ll be playing in the Championship on loan in the coming months?<\/p>\n
Eli Campbell (on 86 for Armstrong) n\/a<\/strong><\/p>\nLate run-out.<\/p>\n
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