2019-20 Premier League: Week Nine – Everton vs West Ham

Everton welcome West Ham United to Goodison Park for a crunch clash at both ends of the Premier League table. 

Marco Silva’s Toffees know that a point will at least temporary lift them out of the bottom three, whilst West Ham are looking to climb into the top four with a win. 

 

Team news

Embed from Getty Images

Fabian Delph could return to the starting eleven for Everton after overcoming a hamstring strain, which kept him out of England’s two Euro 2020 qualifiers. 

Seamus Coleman is suspended whilst Jean-Phillipe Gbamin is still out with a muscular injury, although the Frenchman is now absent until January after a setback required surgery. 

West Ham could have Robert Snodgrass available after the Scotsman suffered a calf strain whilst on international duty with Scotland. 

Declan Rice (illness) and Aaron Creswell (knock) are also set to feature but Winston Reid is still sidelined as he continues his slow comeback from a serious knee injury. 

Michail Antonio (thigh) and Lukasz Fabianski (hip) meanwhile are both still ruled out with no set return dates.

 

Form

Everton have taken just one win in their last six league games without mustering up a single clean sheet in that time, except in a 2-0 away Carabao Cup win at Sheffield Wednesday. 

West Ham saw a six match unbeaten league run ended last time out after suffering a home loss against Crystal Palace, although they have scored in six of those seven games apart from a goalless draw at Aston Villa last month. 

 

Stat Attack

• Everton are unbeaten in four of their last seven meetings with West Ham (W3, D1, L3). 
• The Toffees have won three of their last five home league meetings with West Ham (W3, L2). 
• All three of Everton’s goals in this fixture last season came in the first half. 
• Everton’s Richarlison has produced 21 shots, which is the most shots made out of all players for both teams. 
• Everton have made 185 crosses which is a joint league high after eight games this season, alongside their Merseyside rivals – Liverpool. 

 

Prediction

This is going to be a difficult game for Everton because West Ham are playing quality football, which unluckily wasn’t enough against Palace a fortnight ago to earn a point. 

I therefore am struggling to see past a Hammers win because Everton’s back lines have been very sloppy on many occasions for my liking, and if they don’t improve then I just can’t see them even snatching a point. 

Prediction: Everton 1-2 West Ham United

Result: Everton 2-0 West Ham United