2019-20 Premier League: Week 18 – Everton vs Arsenal

Everton welcome Arsenal to Goodison Park in a battle of two underperforming teams as both clubs prepare to welcome new managers. 

A win will move Everton further away from the relegation zone whilst Arsenal could temporarily climb to eighth with victory. 

 

Team news

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Djibril Sidibe and Gylfi Sigurdsson could return for Everton after missing their midweek Carabao Cup exit due to illness. 

Fabian Delph is also expected to feature after recovering from a lengthy thigh injury. 

Morgan Schneiderlin, Theo Walcott (both calf), Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (tendon), Lucas Digne (groin) and Andre Gomes (ankle) are all sidelined.

Arsenal will be without Kieran Tierney for the next three months due to a dislocated shoulder.

Granit Xhaka (concussion) and Hector Bellerin (hamstring) are expected to return this weekend, with Dani Ceballos (hamstring) and Rob Holding (knee) returning over the festive period. 

Sead Kolasinac (ankle) is likely to miss this game due to an ankle injury picked up in Sunday’s clash with Manchester City

 

Form

Everton are unbeaten in two league matches under Caretaker Manager – Duncan Ferguson (W1, D1), whilst they drew in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Leicester only to eventually lose on penalties. 

Arsenal are winless in eight of their last nine league games (W1, D4, L4), but have taken four points from four away games during this run (W1, D1, L2). 

 

Stat Attack

• Everton ended a four match losing streak against Arsenal with victory in their last meeting back in April (W1, L4). 
• Last season marked the first time that only the winning team scored in both legs of this league fixture since 2011-12, which was won home/away by Arsenal in a pair of 1-0 wins. 
• Everton have scored first in their last two home games against Arsenal. 
• No Arsenal player has been subbed off more times than Lucas Torreira, who has been substituted on six occasions this season in the league. 
• Everton’s Lucas Digne has made the most crosses out of all left-backs this season, producing 148 crosses which is only bettered by Liverpool’ right-back – Trent Alexander-Arnold who has made 181 crosses.

 

Prediction

Everton will definitely fancy their chances of upsetting Arsenal here because they have improved significantly under Duncan Ferguson, who will be staying as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching team when he takes over next week. 

Arsenal’s indecisiveness meanwhile is a huge concern because if the board aren’t capable of bringing Mikel Arteta in until around 24 hours beforehand, it is going to affect the players’ match preparations due to uncertainty over who will be in the dugout. 

I therefore am expecting a strong performance from Everton against a clueless Arsenal, who just seem to be in utter disarray on and off pitch at the minute and a defeat wouldn’t be surprising at all.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Arsenal 

Result: Everton 0-0 Arsenal