Venue: The Hawthorns
Date: 13/09/2014
Kick-off: 15:00 (BST)
Match
Everton were handed a very tough run of early fixtures this season and although the Toffees have played well, they have very little to show for it in terms of points on the board.
As a result, Everton’s campaign has just not kick started and Roberto Martinez would have certainly been frustrated at the fact that his side have been unable to translate their good performances into positive results.
Now, the Toffees prepare to face Alan Irvine’s West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns and it looks set to be another tough encounter for Martinez’s men.
Former Everton assistant manager Alan Irvine has assembled a very well drilled West Bromwich Albion side and he is one man who knows Everton inside out. Therefore, the match on Saturday will be a tricky one for the Toffees and it will be interesting to see whether or not Everton will be able to grab their first three points of the season.
Everton Team News
Martinez has a couple of injury concerns heading into the game against the Baggies. The trio of Ross Barkley, Bryan Oviedo and Arouna Kone remain sidelined due to long term injuries while Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Samuel Eto’o are also doubts due to various knocks.
Despite conceding six goals against Chelsea last time out, Martinez may resist the temptation of making wholesale changes to his backline which means that Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka should continue in central defence while Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman will probably retain their place in the full back positions.
That being said, it will not be a surprise to see young John Stones handed a role from the start as well.
The midfield duo of Gareth Barry and James McCarthy have been very solid so far and should start at the middle of the park while Kevin Mirallas and Aiden McGeady will probably be deployed in the wide positions.
Steven Naismith has been absolutely brilliant this season and will surely start in the hole behind the striker who is set to be Romelu Lukaku.
Probable Lineups
West Bromwich Albion (Probable XI): Foster; Pocognoli, Olsson, Lescott, Wisdom; Brunt, Gardner, Morrison, Dorran, Berahino; Ideye
Everton (Probable XI): Howard; Baines, Stones, Distin, Coleman; Mirallas, Barry, Barkley, McCarthy, Deulofeu; Lukaku
Form
West Bromwich Albion: D D L
Everton: D D L
Last Meeting
20/01/2014 West Bromwich Albion 1 – 1 Everton
24/08/2013 Everton 0 – 0 West Bromwich Albion
Prediction
Everton and West Bromwich Albion have usually tended to play out tight matches and it will be no different this time around as well.
While Everton may seemingly have a better looking squad in terms of quality, West Bromwich have acquired a couple of very good players with plenty of international experience during the January transfer window and look a strong side.
The Baggies are usually very strong at home and will make it very tough for the Everton attack to breach their backline. Therefore, the Toffees must be ruthless in front of goal and take any chance that comes their way.
However, Everton’s problem recently has been in defence rather than in attack and if the likes of Distin, Jagielka and Baines do not improve – there is every possibility that the hosts will make Martinez’s men pay.
There is very little separating the two teams heading into the game but West Brom still seem to be searching for their identity under Alan Irvine and do not seem to have gelled as a team as of yet while Everton look more of a set outfit.
It will not be easy but Everton should narrowly win this if their defence can maintain their concentration throughout the match.
West Bromwich Albion 1 – 2 Everton
