Premier League
Everton vs West Ham Preview
Goodison Park, Liverpool – West Ham go in search of their first points of the Premier League season against Everton.
The Hammers are pointless after their opening four games of the 2018-19 campaign to leave Manuel Pellegrini facing the wrath of fans after a significant summer spending spree, but the Hammers’ hierarchy has backed the manager to turn things around.
Everton, who are unbeaten this season, have lost only two of last 16 Premier League home games (W9, D5).
Previous Encounters:
Everton have only lost two of their last 20 Premier League encounters with West Ham (W12 D6 L2), though both losses have arrived in the last five meetings.
West Ham have won just one of their last 11 Premier League trips to Goodison Park (W1 D3 L7), winning 3-2 back in March 2016.
Team News:
Everton continue have a long absentee list, but their injury crisis has eased with Theo Walcott, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Bernard all in contention.
New signing Yerry Mina trained with the squad for the first time after recovering from a foot injury while midfielder James McCarthy has also returned after breaking his leg in January.
Defender Seamus Coleman will be out for two weeks with a stress fracture of the foot and forward Richarlison serves the final match of his suspension while Phil Jagielka (knee), Andre Gomes (hamstring) and Michael Keane (head) are still absent.
Meanwhile for the visitors’, Jack Wilshere is out of contention as he picked up an ankle injury in training.
Striker Javier Hernandez has a virus so will also miss the Goodison Park clash, while Andy Carroll, Manuel Lanzini and Winston Reid remain long-term absentees.
Potential Lineups:
Everton (4-2-3-1 ) : Pickford; Kenny, Holgate, Zouma, Digne; Schneiderlin, Gueye; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Tosun.
West Ham (4-2-3-1) : Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell; Noble, Sanchez; Yarmolenko, Anderson, Antonio; Arnautovic.
Match Prediction:
With the pressure piling up on Manuel Pellegrini, the fixture at Goodison Park is a must-win for the Hammers, with Chelsea and Manchester United to come in the next two fixtures. In fact, West Ham’s next seven Premier League games feature clashes with six teams that finished in the top seven last season.
Everton have problems of their own, with the defence looking really fragile after injuries to Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane. The toffees however, will look to capitalize on West Ham’s horrendous start to the season.
Prediction : Everton 1-2 West Ham
