West Bromwich Albion welcome Everton to The Hawthorns in a huge Premier League clash at both ends of the table.
Victory would move Sam Allardyce’s Baggies to within six points of safety despite staying second-bottom, whereas victory will send Everton fourth for at least two hours with Liverpool and Chelsea set to collide in Thursday’s late kick-off where the winner of that game would take fourth place.
Team News
Semi Ajayi is set to return for West Brom after missing Saturday’s win over Brighton through suspension.
Kieran Gibbs (back/neck) is also in contention to start but Robert Snodgrass (calf) remains absent.
Everton have several doubts ahead of this match as Robin Olsen, Seamus Coleman, Tom Davies (all knocks) and James Rodriguez (calf) face late fitness tests.
Yerry Mina (calf), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Achilles) and Fabian Delph (muscle) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- West Brom are winless in their last five meetings against Everton (D2, L3).
- Everton have lost just one of their last seven trips to The Hawthorns (W4, D2, L1).
- West Brom have conceded in four of their last five home matches against Everton, with their only clean sheet during this period coming in a goalless draw on Boxing Day 2017.
- Gylfi Sigurdsson has scored in three of Everton’s last five away matches, with the Toffees going on to win each of those three games (W3).
- West Brom haven’t kept three consecutive clean sheets in the top flight since August-September 2015 (W2, D1).
Prediction
After taking a clinical win on Saturday albeit benefitting from awful refereeing and Brighton errors, West Brom now need to kick on and start finding more wins if want to boost their survival hopes rather than rely on Sam Johnstone to keep them in games.
Everton meanwhile dug deep and got a huge early goal in Monday’s home win over Southampton but they will be relieved to be back on the road, especially given their recent away form where they seem more comfortable in their play than at Goodison Park.
I am therefore expecting a good match here because West Brom really need to start stepping up and finding consecutive wins, yet will be facing a strong Everton team who relish playing on the road and I honestly can’t see Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees not winning here if turn out another clinical display.
Prediction: WBA 1-2 Everton
Result: WBA 0-1 Everton
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