Season 2021-22 Opinion Talking Points

Everton vs Arsenal: Premier League Preview, H2H & Predicted Line-ups

Everton and Arsenal will go head-to-head in Monday night's high-stake Premier League clash at Goodison Park, and you can use this BoyleSports sign up offer if you are looking to bet on the Blues.

The under-pressure manager Rafael Benitez is growing increasingly unpopular among the Goodison faithful, with fans already demanding his head on a silver platter.

Even though the club owner Farhad Moshiri went public to back the Spaniard in the midst of fans unrest, there is no doubt the experienced tactician is not feeling comfortable at the moment.

It's been over two months since Everton last won a Premier League match, with the Toffees going winless in eight league games on the trot since a 2-0 downing of Norwich City in late September.

An embarrassing 4-1 thumping at the hands of cross-town rivals Liverpool in midweek was only the tip of the iceberg, with problems piling up in the blue side of the city.

While waiting for the standout striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to get back into shape following a toe injury, Benitez's men have scored just once in four league games. 

Coming into this matchday, Everton are 14th in the standings, only five points clear of 18th-placed Burnley as fears over the possibility of being sucked into a relegation fight starts to loom over Goodison.

The signs are ominous as fifth-placed Arsenal arrive in town.

Everton vs Arsenal Head-to-Head

Everton defeated Arsenal in both last season's Premier League meetings by a single-goal margin, including a 2-1 win in this exact fixture back in December 2020.

Interestingly, the Toffees benefited from the Gunners' sloppy own goals on both occasions, with Yerry Mina being Everton's lone scorer across those encounters.

There's a piece of history for the Merseyside outfit to play for at Goodison, as they can beat Arsenal in three league H2Hs in a row for the first time since 1986. 

Having kept the Gunners winless in their last three Premier League matches at this venue (W2, D1), Everton will fancy their chances against old foes.

Everton Preview

Winless in their last eight Premier League games (D2, L6), Everton face the prospect of going nine successive top-flight matches without a victory for the first time since a 12-game streak in 1994.

To avoid such a scenario, the Toffees will have to avoid falling behind, given their habit of crumbling after conceding first.

Except for a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Burnley in mid-September, Benitez's men have returned just a single point from the remaining seven Premier League fixtures in which they shipped the opener this term (D1, L6).

Everton's attacking set-up usually sparks into life after half-time. Eight of their 11 Premier League home goals scored this term have come in the second half of play. 

But who is going to score?

Though there's still some hope that Calvert-Lewin could make the matchday squad, Benitez needs a contingency plan in case the Englishman remains on the sidelines. 

Everton averaged 2.33 goals per Premier League match before the star striker's injury, while they've managed a measly average of 0.9 per game in his absence.

The Toffees need the underperforming forward Richarlison to rediscover his mojo and put the breaks on his side's epic downfall, having failed to score in his last four league appearances. 

It hasn't been the best of seasons for the Brazilian so far. 

He has only netted twice across his nine Premier League outings, making the headlines for his antics rather than on-field displays.

Arsenal yet to find their feet on the road

Despite undergoing quite a renaissance after a horrific start to the season, Arsenal's performance on hostile turf requires an improvement.

The Gunners have won just two of their seven Premier League away matches (D1, L4), suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in their most recent league travel.

Before putting two goals past the Red Devils at Old Trafford, Mikel Arteta's side had scored just three times across their inaugural six Premier League road trips this season.

Only second-from-the-bottom Norwich (three) have netted fewer top-flight away goals than Arsenal (five) this Premier League campaign, which is music to Everton defenders' ears.

But the Toffees cannot afford to underestimate the Gunners' quick entries that have seen four of their five away league goals scored this season come before half-time. 

Everton vs Arsenal Predicted Line-ups

Everton (4-4-2): Jordan Pickford; Seamus Coleman, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane, Lucas Digne; Andros Townsend, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Anthony Gordon; Demarai Gray, Richarlison.

Arsenal (4-4-1-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel, Nuno Tavares; Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Alexandre Lacazette.

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