Everton hosts second-placed Arsenal on Sunday and it’s a big one for both teams. Everton are safe from relegation and will look to get back to winning ways and replicate their strong home form, having won 3 of their last 4 against Arsenal at Goodison.
Everton
Everton come off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby. Despite the loss, they’ve shown resilience and are 15th in the table, 14 points clear of the relegation zone. With survival virtually assured, Everton will look to their strong home performances, having won 3 of their last 4 at Goodison against Arsenal.
Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski will anchor the Everton defence, which has been a solid unit this season. Moyes will stick with his 4-2-3-1, and Beto to lead the line and Abdoulaye Doucoure to provide the energy in midfield.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Harrison, Doucoure, Alcaraz; Beto.
Arsenal
Arsenal come into this game on the back of a 2-1 win over Fulham. They’re second in the table and want to keep pace with Liverpool. But injuries have disrupted their plans, with Gabriel Magalhaes ruled out for the season and Jurrien Timber nursing a minor knock.
Arteta may rotate the squad to manage fitness ahead of the Champions League game with Real Madrid. Bukayo Saka will come off the bench again, while Ethan Nwaneri will start on the right wing alongside Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli up front. Jakub Kiwior will partner William Saliba in central defence as he looks to fill Gabriel’s void.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Martinelli.
Key Stats
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Everton have won three of their last four home games against Arsenal in the Premier League.
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Arsenal are unbeaten in 19 of their last 20 league matches.
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Arsenal have not lost in their last ten away Premier League games.
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Everton ended a nine-game unbeaten run with their recent loss to Liverpool.
Player to Watch: Jakub Kiwior
With Gabriel Magalhaes out for the season, Jakub Kiwior steps into a big role in Arsenal’s defence. The Polish defender has had limited game time this season but now has the chance to prove himself alongside William Saliba. He’ll need to be good against Everton as Arsenal face tougher tests ahead.
Everton vs Arsenal Prediction
Everton are tough at Goodison and well organised. But Arsenal’s attacking quality and ability to control games will see them edge it.
Everton 1-2 Arsenal
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