After four games against non-league and lower division opposition, the visit of the Toffees represents a major test for Alan Irvine's men with the new campaign less than three weeks away.

Irvine admits he would have preferred to have tackled Everton a little later in the build-up but is still grateful to be welcoming his former club back to Deepdale (7.45pm).

And he'll be interested to see how his players cope against Premier League opponents on the back of their intensive training programme.

It's less than eight months since Irvine left his job as assistant to Moyes to take the North End hotseat.

So there will be plenty of familiar faces for him to catch up with before and after what should be an entertaining clash.

Irvine told the Evening Post: "I'm really looking forward to seeing David, the staff, players and the Everton fans again – they were always very good to me.

"From a wee bit of a selfish point of view, it's an important match for me because it's Everton, while from the professional side of things, it should be a great workout for our players.

"This is a huge step-up n our preparations, and that's with all due respect to the sides we have played in the last couple of weeks.

Ideally it is a step-up we would have liked to have made a little more gradually.

But Everton are away on tour soon and we're just grateful they've agreed to come on Tuesday night.

"I know David is looking forward to coming back. I speak to him regularly.

"He realises how much his career was helped by his time here as a player, as assistant manager and then as manager.

"David has a great love for Preston North End and I'm sure he'll get a warm welcome from our supporters."

Visit lep.co.uk during Tuesday night's game for live match chat and pick up a copy of Wednesday's Lancashire Evening Post for Dave Seddon's full match reaction.

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