Can England’s lone European survivor survive a trip to Kiev?

Everton boss Roberto Martinez knows that his team hold a slender advantage as the Toffees travel to face Dynamo Kiev in the second leg of their Europa League tie

Everton’s have enjoyed an almost schizophrenic campaign.

They have been superb in the Europa League, yet sent their more error prone less good looking twin out to play in the Premier League.

That trend showed signs of changing at the weekend as the Toffees claimed a crucial 3-0 victory over Newcastle a Goodison Park in the Premier League.

Improvement

The result was crucial in the fact that Roberto Martinez’s team kicked-off that game just three points above the relegation zone, after Burnley’s surprise 1-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday evening

That result was inspired by the Toffees outstanding second half display in their last-16 Europa League first leg 2-1 victory over Dynamo Kiev last Thursday. There were signs that Everton may just be growing in confidence at the business end of the campaign.

Challenge

Martinez’s charges now face a trip to Kiev for the second leg of tie against Dynamo this evening. Everton are England’s last surviving team in European competition. That status remains in big danger with the tie delicately balanced.

Dynamo have a very good record at the Olympic Stadium this season, having won seven and drew two of their domestic league matches. They have also won all four of their home games in the Europa League on home soil.

Those sorts of records seem to mean nothing to Everton, as they travelled to face Young Boys of Berne with the Swiss team holding a long unbeaten home record in Europe. That record was soon made a mockery of, as the Toffees claimed a 4-1 swaggering away win.

The conditions and the pitch may also represent a challenge for the visitors, as Toffees boss Martinez has already stated that the pitch is a ‘concern’, but it will hamper both teams not just Everton.

However, Kiev will be more accustomed to the condition of the pitch, so that may just give them a slight advantage.

Dangerous

Dynamo showed in the first half an hour at Goodison Park what a threat they can be to their English visitors. They are not in the last-16 by chance. They are a very dangerous team, especially on their home patch. The Toffees cannot afford to underestimate the quality that Dynamo possesses.

Everton may need to be patient and wait for their chance to counter-attack, just like they did at Wolfsburg in the group stages. It will suit Everton if the home side come at them from the off, because they are very good at counter-attacking through the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley and even full-backs Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines.

Everton are unbeaten in European away games this season and have won their last two. Dinamo Kiev have also managed just one win in their previous ten meetings with English clubs in European competition.

Confident

The confidence of last season’s play has been on display this season, only in Europe though, as the Toffees have been given the freedom to play their passing game.

That confidence seemed to come flooding back against Newcastle, after a nervy start to the match. A change of formation and a new braver approach has worked wonders for the Toffees and restored some of the faith in boss Martinez.

Questions have been asked about whether the Spaniard was too stubborn to changes his tactics to enable Everton to win games again. It seems he has changed his tactics and in discussion with his players he has come up with a formula that has worked in the last two games.

At the moment, the swagger has returned to the Everton team and Dynamo boss Sergei Rebrov will know that the men from Merseyside represent a major obstacle for the Ukrainian team to overcome in the last-16.

In the last ten minutes of the first leg, Dynamo were hanging on to that 2-1 defeat and in the end there were a lot of anywhere will do clearances from that backline, as Everton asserted their authority on the game. This game will be a completely different one.

Betting News

Dynamo Kiev are favourites to win this game at odds of 21/20, while the draw is odds of 13/5 and Everton are odds of 14/5 to emerge with a victory.

Everton have got this far in the competition despite their poor domestic form and at the moment I really would not write-off Roberto Martinez’s team making it to the last eight of the Europa League. As they have already shown in Europe this season they like a challenge.

Can Everton survive their trip to Kiev?