Match Preview
Having been spared a four-game run against the current top four by the postponement of last weekend’s Merseyside derby, Everton travel to the Capital to face title-chasing Arsenal.
With the Blues having reclaimed somewhat their status as one of the more potent teams in the Premier League from dead-ball situations in the 4-0 win over Wolves last time out, this weekend they come up against the corner kings in the form of the Gunners.
With the two sides have eight set-piece goals apiece so far in 2024-25, Mikel Arteta’s side have scored six goals from corners alone so you would imagine that plenty of time has been spent at Finch Farm this week analysing the tactics in those situations from Saturday’s opponents.
Indeed, Sean Dyche and his staff will have had plenty to assess when it comes to Arsenal who are, obviously, one of the best sides in the division but their task is aided to a degree by Arteta’s selection problems in defence where Ben White, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksander ZInchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all likely to be ruled out.
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That could open up opportunities for Everton, particularly from corners themselves but they will, of course, need to be wary of Arsenal’s attacking threats, not least their midfield maestro Martin Ødegaard and wing wizard Bukayo Saka.
Dyche’s men will need to be at their best and operating with full concentration, particularly if they are to avoid the kinds of humiliating reverses they have already suffered at Tottenham and Manchester United this term. A better template would be their performance in this fixture on the final day of last season, a game out of which they were hugely unfortunate not to get something.
With no new known injury concerns, Dyche is likely to field the same line-up that started against Wolves 10 days ago, with Abdoulaye Doucouré in the role behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye on the flanks and Orel Mangala partnering Idrissa Gueye in central midfield.
On the bench, meanwhile, Armando Broja will be keen to build on the hugely promising cameo he had last time out and the extra minutes he got at Finch Farm this week in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Mansfield.
Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 14 December, 2024
Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR: Paul Tierney
Last Time: Arsenal 2 - 1 Everton
Predicted Line-up Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, McNeil, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin
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