Burnley help Toffees by getting back to business

EVERTON arrive at Turf Moor for tonight's friendly as a Premiership club in crisis.

Manager David Moyes is forced to handle pre-season with a squad stripped to the bare bones.

And with the Toffeemen an estimated £40 million in debt, the future of their most valuable asset, England sensation Wayne Rooney, continues to dominate all talk on the blue half of Merseyside.

Throw in a boardroom power struggle between current chairman Bill Kenwright and current director and major shareholder Paul Gregg, all the ingredients are present for a stormy season at Goodison Park.

Moyes' cause is hardly helped by the furore surrounding Rooney's future. A club record £50,000-per-week, five-year deal is on the table for the teenager, who took Euro 2004 by storm with four goals in his first major international tournament.

However, Manchester United lead a whole host of clubs waiting in the wings to pounce if Rooney and his army of advisors decide to jump ship with just one year of his present deal remaining

While Rooney procrastinates, Moyes is forced to openly admit he has just enough money in his kitty to pay for one more wage, despite pleading that he needs "four or five players" to strengthen his hand.

The former Preston boss saw his side lose 2-1 at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday evening in their latest pre-season game, and has names a similar, 18-man squad for the trip to Turf Moor (7.30pm KO).

Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen and Swedish counterpart Tobias Linderoth

will not be involved, while Rooney is still in rehabilitation after breaking a metatarsal bone during England's Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat to hosts Portugal.

Chinese defender Li Tie is definitely out as he recovers from a broken shin, and Fulham target Tomasz Radzinski has a hamstring that is likely to rule him out.

However, Kevin Campbell, the only Everton player to score in pre-season so far, is included and former Blackburn Rovers striker Marcus Bent is expected to start after his 450,000 move from Ipswich.

Moyes is likely to select from: Wright, Turner, Martyn, Pistone, Clarke, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Naysmith, Watson, Carsley, McFadden, Osman, Kilbane, Bent, Campbell, Chadwick, Ferguson.

MARCUS BENT

EVERTON arrive at Turf Moor for tonight's friendly as a Premiership club in crisis.

Manager David Moyes is forced to handle pre-season with a squad stripped to the bare bones.

And with the Toffeemen an estimated £40 million in debt, the future of their most valuable asset, England sensation Wayne Rooney, continues to dominate all talk on the blue half of Merseyside.

Throw in a boardroom power struggle between current chairman Bill Kenwright and current director and major shareholder Paul Gregg, and all the ingredients are present for a stormy season at Goodison Park.

Moyes' cause is hardly helped by the furore surrounding Rooney's future.

A club record £50,000-per-week, five-year deal worth around £12.5million is on the table for the teenager, who took Euro 2004 by storm with four goals in his first major international tournament.

However, Manchester United lead a whole host of clubs waiting in the wings to pounce if Rooney and his army of advisors decide to jump ship with just one year of his present deal remaining

While Rooney procrastinates, Moyes is forced to openly admit he has just enough money in his kitty to pay for one more wage, despite pleading that he needs "four or five players" to strengthen his hand.

The former Preston boss saw his side lose 2-1 at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday evening in their latest pre-season game, and has named a similar, 18-man squad for the trip to Turf Moor (kick-off 7.30pm).

Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen and Swedish counterpart Tobias Linderoth

will not be involved, while Rooney is still in rehabilitation after breaking a metatarsal bone during England's Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat to hosts Portugal.

Chinese defender Li Tie is definitely out as he recovers from a broken shin, and Fulham target Tomasz Radzinski has a hamstring that is likely to rule him out.

However, Kevin Campbell, the only Everton player to score in pre-season so far, is included and former Blackburn Rovers striker Marcus Bent is expected to start after his £450,000 move from Ipswich.

Moyes is likely to select from: Wright, Turner, Martyn, Pistone, Clarke, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Naysmith, Watson, Carsley, McFadden, Osman, Kilbane, Bent, Campbell, Chadwick, Ferguson.