Pre-season is the perfect opportunity for young players to impress their managers and gain a coveted first-team spot for the season to come.
While the final score may be less significant, these warm-up matches are make or break for aspiring stars and could decide whether their season is spent in the big time, out on loan or in the reserves.
We take a look at the up-and-coming players given a chance by Premier League managers in pre-season and how they fared.
ARSENAL
Arsenal have claimed two pre-season trophies - the Barclays Asia Trophy and the Emirates Cup - and manager Arsene Wenger will be pleased with the role his academy graduates have played in this success.
Chuba Akpom, the 19-year-old striker, is a member of Wenger's first-team squad already but will be hoping to kick on and challenge Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck for the centre forward's position.
Chuba Akpom in action during the Emirates Cup - he will be part of Arsenal's first-team squad this season
He scored a hat-trick in Arsenal's rout of Singapore in the Asia Trophy though those opponents are hardly comparable to Premier League defences.
Alex Iwobi may offer him some competition - the 19-year-old was very impressive in Arsenal's 6-0 demolition of Lyon in the Emirates Cup and did enough for Wenger to confirm he would not be going out on loan this season.
Likewise new arrival Jeff Reine-Adelaide, a 17-year-old playmaker acquired from the Lens academy, who caught Wenger's eye after coming off the bench against Lyon and earned himself a start against Wolfsburg the following day.
Alex Iwobi celebrates after scoring for Arsenal in their Emirates Cup win over Lyon on Saturday
ASTON VILLA
Villa's pre-season has seen a two-match trip to Portugal and a couple of domestic friendlies against League One sides Swindon Town and Walsall, allowing Tim Sherwood to take a close look at his young players.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Niall Mason joined Villa's academy from Southampton over the summer and has already had quite an adventurous career having also played for David Beckham's academy in Madrid and Qatari side Al-Sadd.
Callum Robinson, a 20-year-old striker, was a part of Preston's promotion-winning campaign when out on loan last season, scoring seven times. He has also played for England's Under 20 team. Scored in the Walsall game
Callum Robinson celebrates after scoring in Aston Villa's friendly against Walsall on Saturday
Goalkeeper Bradley Watkins, 20, lined up against Fulham out in Portugal and will be hoping to challenge Brad Guzan for the gloves having recently spent time on loan at Tranmere Rovers and Chelmsford City.
Centre-half Janoi Donacien, 21, was born in Saint Lucia and also spent last season out on loan at Tranmere, though he was unable to stop them dropping out of the Football League.
Riccardo Calder, a left winger, also lined up in the Portugal friendlies, and is hoping to gain more first-team action having established himself as a regular in the Under 21 side last season.
Jerell Sellars, signed from Lincoln City's academy three years ago, regularly led the line for Villa's Under 21 team last season.
Eighteen-year-old central midfielder Jordan Lyden, who hails from Perth in Australia, has been at Villa for two years and is considered future first-team material.
Eighteen-year-old central midfielder Jordan Lyden, who hails from Perth in Australia, has been at Villa for two years and is considered future first-team material.
Australian midfielder Jordan Lyden in action for Aston Villa during pre-season
BOURNEMOUTH
Eddie Howe will understandably be calling upon the experienced members of his squad during their first-ever Premier League campaign but some youngsters have featured in pre-season.
Harry Cornick, a 20-year-old midfielder, made his senior debut last season and went on the Cherries' American tour this summer.
Versatile defender Jonathan Muleba opted to leave Chelsea's academy in search of greater opportunity at Bournemouth in January 2014 and will want to kick on this season.
Howe also took a look at 20-year Chievo loanee Filippo Costa in their match in Nantes this week - he is an Italy Under 20 international.
Former Chelsea youth team defender Jonathan Muleba in action for Bournemouth at Salisbury City
CHELSEA
Making the leap from Chelsea's academy to the first team remains a tremendous challenge but Jose Mourinho has a number of hopefuls on their pre-season tour of the United States.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the highly-rated English central midfielder who made his maiden first team appearances last season, has a very important year ahead as he will almost certainly get more chances.
Seventeen-year-old forward Dominic Solanke, who was handed a debut in the Champions League last season, and scored 41 goals for the youth and Under 21 teams last season, should be in line for more appearances.
Ola Aina, 18, was a key defensive component in Chelsea's UEFA Youth League win last season, and has plenty of time on his side to develop.
Mourinho also has Jake Clarke-Salter, a 17-year-old centre-back, on the tour.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek leaps above two New York Red Bulls players during Chelsea's tour match
Dominic Solanke featured in Chelsea's American tour match with New York Red Bulls
CRYSTAL PALACE
Alan Pardew believes Palace will challenge in the top half this season and he seems to have assembled a competitive squad. But there was still room for a few youngsters in pre-season
Nineteen-year-old London lad Sullay Kaikai joined Palace four years ago and has progressed through the ranks as well as enjoying time on loan at Crawley Town and Cambridge United. He made his first-team debut in the League Cup defeat to Newcastle United last season.
Left back Jerome Binnom-Williams, 20, also has League Cup experienced and helped Southend United gain promotion from League Two last season.
Sullay Kaikai plays for Crystal Palace against Supersport United on their pre-season tour to South Africa
EVERTON
Everton are desperately hoping for an improvement on last season and perhaps some of the youngsters Roberto Martinez has used in pre-season can help with that.
Tyias Browning announced his arrival in the Merseyside derby at Anfield last season and having also featured in a couple of other matches, including the Europa League game with Krasnodar, he'll be optimistic of more opportunities.
England Under 19 international defender Brendan Galloway, who was handed his debut in the 2-1 win over West Ham at the tail end of last season, is similarly hoping to push on.
Midfielder Kieran Dowell, who signed his first professional contract at Goodison back in March and also played in the Krasnodar game, was given a cameo in Everton's 3-1 friendly win over Hearts.
Kieran Dowell in action during Everton's 3-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle last weekend
