Everton v Lyon background

Everton will look to shake off an opening salvo of UEFA Europa League Group E disappointments against a Lyon side who won their only previous game on Merseyside.

Previous meetings
• The teams are meeting for the first time.

• Everton did not concede in their only previous matches against French sides, drawing 0-0 away and winning 3-0 at home against LOSC Lille in the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League group stage.

• Lyon's 16 games against English teams have ended W3 D7 L6 (W2 D1 L5 in England). One of those away victories came in their only previous match on Merseyside – they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League group stage, César Delgado scoring the added-time winner.

Form guide
• Everton are without a victory in three UEFA games (D2 L1).

• Lyon have not won in their last four away matches in Europe (D1 L3).

• Seventh in the 2016/17 Premier League, Everton have advanced through all three of their previous UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, most recently in 2014/15.

• Lyon were semi-finalists last season, when they lost to Ajax having transferred from the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Trivia and links
• The journey from Lyon to Liverpool is around 1,000km.

• Everton's Wayne Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin played alongside Lyon's Rafael and Memphis Depay at Manchester United.

• Several Everton players have French league experience:
Morgan Schneiderlin (Strasbourg 2006–08)
Kevin Mirallas (LOSC Lille 2004–08, St-Étienne 2008–10)
Idrissa Gueye (LOSC Lille 2010–15)
Maarten Stekelenburg (Monaco 2014–15)

• Several Lyon players have been with English clubs:
Memphis Depay (Manchester United 2015–17)
Rafael (Manchester United 2008–15)
Bertrand Traoré (Chelsea 2014–17)
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Newcastle 2013–14)

• Lyon's Marcelo and Everton's Davy Klaassen can make their 50th UEFA club competition appearances on matchday three.

The coaches
• Everton manager since 2016, Ronald Koeman won European Cups as a defender with PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona, and the 1988 UEFA European Championship with the Netherlands. He subsequently landed three Dutch titles coaching Ajax and PSV.

• Born in Lyon, Bruno Génésio came through the club's ranks as a midfielder, playing for the senior side from 1985–95, and returning as assistant coach in 2011 before taking sole command in December 2015.