Sutton Utd vs Folkestone Invicta - Friendlies Clubs

Few would have predicted the narrative arc that brings Sutton Utd and Folkestone Invicta together at the home ground on July 28, 2026, and the underdog storyline only adds to the Friendlies Clubs occasion. The left-back was taken off in the final minutes against Everton with cramp, and was not risked for the Champions League clash vs Sabah on Thursday.

Both camps will view the Friendlies Clubs meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. The hosts will hope that the the home ground crowd can inspire a performance, whatever the numbers suggest. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. Paulo Fonseca's men are still smarting from their Champions League play-off exit but now sit third in the table.

Set-piece efficiency and transition play often decide fixtures of this nature, and both managers will have been drilling those phases on the training ground. They are sticking to the principles of possession and pressing that have taken them from the fourth tier.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. Tottenham signed the former Brighton star earlier this summer, and De Zerbi has now revealed how he messaged the defender to join the club after Brighton’s match against Everton.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. With positions in the Friendlies Clubs table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of Liverpool's Premier League campaign through injury - but it is not likely to impact the Reds' transfer plans.