Date :Saturday 21st, December
Time: 1:30pm
Stadium Goodison Park
Referee Kevin Friend (England)
Goal Scorer:
Team News:
Everton
Duncan Ferguson has a spate of roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of what could be his final game in-charge of Everton. Against Arsenal on Saturday, the Everton caretaker manager could be without as many as eight first-team players.
The likes of Lucas Digne (groin), Andre Gomes (ankle), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (thigh), Morgan Schneiderlin (calf) and Theo Walcott (calf) are all definite absentees. Gylfi Sigurdsson and Djibril Sidibe are recovering from illness and are facing a race against time to be available against Arsenal, while Fabian Delph will likely be assessed ahead of the game.
The major absentee for Everton could be Digne and in his stead, Leighton Baines could continue in the left-back spot. Baines scored a thunderous goal against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup and will be buoyed heading into the Arsenal game. With Sidibe being doubtful, Seamus Coleman is a certain starter on the right.
Michael Keane and Yerry Mina will pair up at the heart of the Everton defence once again, while Jordan Pickford will take his place between the sticks. Ferguson is expected to line his side up in a 4-4-2 formation once again and with Walcott unavailable, Bernard and Alex Iwobi should be the two wide midfielders.
In the middle of the park, Tom Davies is a certain starter, with Sigurdsson being his likely partner if he has recovered from his illness. If not, Mason Holgate could start as a central midfielder once again, providing cover to the defence. Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will form the strike partnership once again.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Baines; Bernard, Sigurdsson, Davies, Iwobi; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin
Arsenal
Freddie Ljungberg has a multitude of fitness concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to Liverpool to take on Everton. On Saturday, the Arsenal caretaker boss could be without as many as six first-team players due to injuries, while regular centre-back Sokratis is unavailable due to suspension.
Those who will certainly miss out due to their respective fitness troubles are Kieran Tierney (shoulder), Sead Kolasinac (ankle) and Dani Ceballos (hamstring). Hector Bellerin (hamstring), Rob Holding (knee) and Mesut Ozil (foot), though, face late fitness tests to determine their availability for the Everton game.
Ozil’s doubtful nature coupled with his drop in form could force Ljungberg to switch his formation, with the Arsenal interim manager likely to line his side up in a 4-3-3 formation. Bernd Leno was the sole positive on a dreadful evening against Manchester City last weekend and will take his place in goal once again.
Bellerin would start as Arsenal’s right-back if deemed fit to start. Otherwise, Calum Chambers could move out to the right side of the Arsenal defence, with Ainlsey Maitland-Niles likely to be deployed as a makeshift left-back in the absence of Tierney and Kolasinac. Bellerin’s availability will also determine the central defensive partnership.
In case Bellerin starts, Chambers will have David Luiz as his partner at the heart of the Arsenal defence. Otherwise, Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi could form the central defensive partnership. The three-man midfield should have Granit Xhaka at the base, with Joe Willock and Matteo Guendouzi providing support.
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will lead the line against Everton and as Ljungberg iterated last week, Alexandre Lacazette will be on the bench, with the star strikers not expected to start together. Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli should be the two wide men, providing pacy outlets on the flanks.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Leno; Bellerin, Chambers, Luiz, Maitland-Niles; Guendouzi, Xhaka, Willock; Pepe, Aubameyang, Martinelli
Quote
Key Stats
Everton beat Arsenal 1-0 in last season’s corresponding fixture in April, but have not won successive league games against the Gunners since a run of three between March 1985 and April 1986.
Arsenal have won 33 Premier League games and scored 107 goals against Everton, more than they have against any other side.
Everton have earned 16 points in 2019 against last season’s top six sides. Only Manchester City and Leicester City have fared better.
Arsenal have gone 14 league and cup fixtures without a clean sheet, their longest streak since a run of 21 games between October 1983 and February 1984.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored seven of Arsenal’s 10 Premier League away goals this season.
Everton beat Arsenal 1-0 in last season’s corresponding fixture in April, but have not won successive league games against the Gunners since a run of three between March 1985 and April 1986.
Arsenal have won 33 Premier League games and scored 107 goals against Everton, more than they have against any other side.
Everton have earned 16 points in 2019 against last season’s top six sides. Only Manchester City and Leicester City have fared better.
Arsenal have gone 14 league and cup fixtures without a clean sheet, their longest streak since a run of 21 games between October 1983 and February 1984.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored seven of Arsenal’s 10 Premier League away goals this season.
Prediction: Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Everton look a completely different side under Duncan Ferguson, showing the fighting spirit that they had desperately lacked under Marco Silva this season. Arsenal, on the other hand, have only continued remaining miserable, with a dreadful defence bringing them down further.
Mikel Arteta will be watching the action from the stands at Goodison Park on Sunday and chances are so will Carlo Ancelotti, who is the heavy favourite to be the next Everton boss. With that in mind, both sides will likely leave it all on the line to get the big win.
Everton, though, seem to be brimming with confidence and belief which should take them over the line, especially against an abysmal Arsenal defence, which needs a lot of work. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Duncan Ferguson & co., with the Scot signing off as the interim manager in style.
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