Why Andy Burnham and Canadian Prime Minister attended Everton Carabao Cup win at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Everton welcomed two high-profile supporters to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Wednesday night as UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham was joined by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the club's Carabao Cup clash with Wolves.

The pair held a bilateral meeting at the stadium before taking their seats to watch the match together, with their shared support for Everton providing an unusual connection between the two political leaders.

Why did Andy Burnham and Mark Carney attend Everton's Carabao Cup match?

Burnham and Carney met in the directors' clubroom before the match, posing for photographs in front of British and Canadian flags before discussing their shared connections to Everton, Liverpool and Ireland.

The meeting also carried a personal significance for both men, with the pair wearing Alzheimer's Society forget-me-not flowers on their lapels after both losing their fathers to the disease.

Burnham's father, Roy, died earlier in the week after suffering from Alzheimer's, with Everton paying tribute to him during the match by displaying his photograph on the stadium's big screens.

The Canadian Prime Minister has supported Everton since moving to the UK and has previously spoken about his first experience of watching the club, which came at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

That match also has particular significance for Burnham, who has previously spoken about attending the same game as the Hillsborough disaster unfolded, with Carney commending the mayor for his role in seeking “justice and closure” for the 97 Liverpool supporters who died.

The pair also discussed potential areas for closer cooperation between Britain and Canada, including defence and artificial intelligence, before turning their attention to their shared passion for Everton.

Burnham joked that it would be good to have someone to “commiserate about Everton at a G7 meeting”, while welcoming Carney to Liverpool and to “your beloved club”.

Burnham had invited Carney to attend an Everton match when the pair spoke in July, shortly after Carney became Prime Minister, and the invitation was taken up for Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie.

Following their meeting, which lasted around 45 minutes, the two men donned Everton scarves and made their way into the stands, where they greeted supporters, shook hands and posed for photographs before watching the match together.

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The visit provided a memorable backdrop to another significant night at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton hosting one of their most high-profile supporters alongside a political leader who has adopted the club since moving to Britain.

The shared connection between Burnham and Carney also made their appearance particularly poignant given their personal experiences of losing their fathers to Alzheimer's.

For Everton, it was another memorable occasion at their new home, with the Hill Dickinson Stadium continuing to welcome high-profile visitors alongside the club's supporters.