The games are coming thick and fast and after finally getting back to winning ways midweek against Sunderland, it’s back to Goodison to face Bournemouth next in the Premier League. Saturday afternoon, 3pm kick off, excellent.
Whilst Bournemouth at home isn’t a blockbuster on paper, it did serve up one of the best games of the season back in February, with a 6-3 win for the Toffees. The game is most memorable for Ross Barkley’s knock round the keeper and goal celebration, before he had actually slotted the ball into the empty net. The love-in for Ross was at its peak at this point. Sadly, it seems a distant memory now. But if entertainment was the key factor the last time the two sides met, this time round, with Everton sitting third from bottom, goals will happily be sacrificed for points. We may not have a choice though, in the previous four Premier League fixtures between the two sides, there have been 19 goals. Therefore, expect goals.
Back to back home wins for Bournemouth against Brighton will have lifted their confidence slightly before heading to Merseyside. But with four Premier League defeats prior to that, the Cherries are one of only two teams below Everton in the league. Eddie Howe is one of the more likeable managers in the Premier League, despite his mouth resembling a tightly squeezed arse hole. The poor bastard is a Toffee too, therefore I hope he can turn his team’s form around but just not this weekend. The visitors are missing impressive defender Tyrone Mings through a shoulder injury, but Premier League veteran Jermain Defoe is always a threat and will keep our two centre backs busy all afternoon.
Expect Pickford, Sigurdsson and Rooney all to be recalled to the first team, along with Baines and potentially Martina in those wingback positions. With goals through the week, surely Calvert-Lewin will play a part, maybe even Niasse too? Suddenly things aren’t looking so dyer up top. Everton have won all four of their competitive home fixtures against Bournemouth and lord knows we could do with that trend continuing. With this being Everton’s second of four consecutive home games, I am confident four wins back to back wins will shake of the bad start to this season and get us back on track.
It’s amazing what a win does to the confidence. The mood is significantly better following Wednesdays win, let’s hope it continues come full time Saturday. Up the Toffees.
– David ( @DAHughes92 )
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