Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw
Best Odds: 5/1
Everton and Fulham will lock horns with each other in the Premier League this coming weekend. The match between Sean Dyche’s side and Marco Silva’s team will be held at Goodison Park and is scheduled to kick off at 3pm UK time on Saturday.
Everton
Everton are one of the biggest clubs in England and are an established team in the Premier League. However, the Toffees have been also-rans in recent seasons and have become stagnant. Last season, Sean Dyche’s side almost got relegated to the Championship. The Merseyside club ended up 17th in the Premier League table with 36 points from 38 matches, two points above the relegation zone.
The Toffees will head into the match against Fulham on the back of a 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in a pre-season friendly match. It followed a 1-0 win against Stoke City on the road in another pre-season friendly and came after a goalless draw with Bolton Wanderers away from home.
Everton have been quite busy in the summer transfer window so far. The Toffees have signed winger Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal, while Ashley Young, who can operate as a winger or as a right-back, has joined on a free transfer after leaving Aston Villa at the end of last season. There have been a number of departures as well. Moise Keane and Ellis Simms are among those who have left Everton for good.
Team News:
Everton manager Sean Dyche will have English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line for his team. Ashley Young is also likely to start. Jordan Pickford will be in goal for the home team. James Tarkowski suffered a knee injury against Sporting Lisbon, and it remains to be seen if the defender recovers in time.
Fulham
Fulham did extremely well in the Premier League last season and exceeded expectations. Many expected the Cottagers to get relegated, but there was one point in the season when it looked like the London club could end up in the Premier League top four. Fulham finished 10th in the Premier League table last season with 52 points from 38 matches.
Marco Silva’s side will head into the match against Everton this coming weekend on the back of a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim in a pre-season friendly. It came after a 2-0 loss at the hands of London and Premier League rivals Chelsea in another pre-season friendly match and followed a 2-0 loss at the hands of Aston Villa.
Fulham have been quite busy in the summer transfer window. Central defender Calvin Bassey has joined from Dutch giants Ajax, while Mexican striker Raul Jimenez has moved from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Joe Bryan and Shane Duffy are among the players who have left Craven Cottage this summer.
Team News:
The future of star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is wrapped up in uncertainty. It is likely that Everton manager Marco Silva will deploy Raul Jimenez as the striker against Everton. Calvin Bassey should line up in defence. Bernd Leno will be in goal for the Cottagers.
Key Factors to Consider
- Everton won 4 of their 5 pre-season friendly matches.
- Everton did not lose any of their 5 pre-season friendly matches.
- Everton scored 5 goals in 5 pre-season friendly matches.
- Fulham won 2 and lost 2 of their 4 pre-season friendly games.
- Fulham scored 5 goals in their 5 pre-season friendly games.
Conclusion
Everton struggled badly last season and almost got relegated from the Premier League. There will be pressure on the Toffees to kick off the new campaign on a positive note. Although Fulham are the visiting team, manager Marco Silva will feel confident of his players picking up at least a point on Merseyside. Fulham were brilliant last season, and the fans will expect the team to do just as well this time around, if not better.
Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw
Best Odds: 5/1
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