EVERTON VS CRYSTAL PALACE: PREVIEW
- Bobby Vincent
- Oct 20, 2018
- 2 min read
Everton host Crystal Palace on Sunday, with the latter looking to end their bad run of form and avoid a relegation scrap.
Palace have lost their last two games to Wolves and Bournemouth heading into the challenge they face at Goodison Park.
Everton, however, have won their last two games against Leicester and Fulham and will be looking to move back into the top half of the Premier League.
The hosts haven't lost to Crystal Palace in seven Premier League matches, with their last loss coming in 2014.
A win for Palace would be their 200th in the top flight and their 100th in the Premier League, coincidentally.
TEAM NEWS:
Everton defender Yerry Mina could FINALLY make his debut for the Toffees after a foot injury which has kept him sidelined for three months.
Andre Gomes is now available following a hamstring injury, as is Phil Jagielka; but Idrissa Gueye faces a late fitness test with an ankle issue.
Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha is also going to be assessed after an injury to his groin he sustained on international duty.
Joel Ward and Jonny Williams are both out for the visitors, with Max Mayer and Alexander Sorloth are both doubts with illnesses.
MANAGERS COMMENTS:
Everton have had a tough start to the season, injury-wise, but Marco Silva is very pleased that some of the players are finally returning to action.
"For me as a coach and for all of us, it's better when you have all the players available to play and to work here with strong competition between them," Silva said.
"Everything looks different now, we hope we continue in this way because they're getting fit, the competition is getting harder for them and it's important for us.
"We are looking more a team now, more compact, more solid in some moments, we keep focus for more minutes during the match."
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has had his say on the injury Zaha sustained on international duty with Ivory Coast.
"It's good news that he's close enough to be assessed to see if he'll be fit enough to play, but you're taking into areas of sports science and medicine that I'm not comfortable talking about," Hodgson admitted.
"My information is that he hasn't trained with us since the injury but they're hoping he'll be able to train tomorrow and if he does, I guess he'll be available to play."
BETTING ODDS:
Everton: 17/20
Draw: 27/10
Crystal Palace: 18/5
PREDICTION:
Everton's form has been decent recently, with their last two games, and I fully expect the Toffees to continue their strong form.
Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
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