November fixtures offer Everton the chance to climb the table

Everton will head into November in a buoyant mood having racked up a five-game unbeaten streak. Last weekend, a stoppage-time equaliser by Beto against Fulham kept the run alive and left manager Sean Dyche satisfied after a tough afternoon. It would be fair to say that the Toffees were a little off the pace during the game at Goodison Park, but they showed enough resilience to snatch a point. 

Dyche said, “It feels good in the sense that I don't feel we were near our recent performance levels. The big balance is that the mentality continues to grow.

“You could smell in the air in the last ten minutes that a goal was coming—at least, I felt that way. To be fair, they were the better team overall today and they are a really good side.

“We forged a positive point for ourselves in the end.”

Dyche’s assessment of the performance was undoubtedly accurate given the number of chances Fulham squandered during the game. However, the result keeps Everton’s recent run intact and sets them up nicely for a relatively favourable run of fixtures during November.

They kick things off on Saturday with a trip to Southampton, who have picked up just one point in nine games.

Last season, the Saints were a popular pick on football league betting platforms, but they have struggled to cope with the step up in class.

The oddsmakers rate them as 31/20 shots to finally get a win on the board this weekend, but it would be a brave move to back them against Everton.

Dyche’s side are priced at 33/20 to win the game.

It is worth noting that Everton’s recent unbeaten run includes a 2–0 victory at Ipswich Town.

However, the recent head-to-head between the two clubs suggests Southampton could be troublesome opponents for Everton this weekend.

The Toffees have lost four and drawn one of their last ten league meetings with the south coast side, so would be well-advised not to underestimate them.

Everton will follow up their visit to Southampton with a trip to West Ham United on November 9, and they will fancy their chances of taking something from the game.

The Hammers eased the pressure on under-fire manager Julen Lopetegui by beating Manchester United last weekend, but the result flattered them. The Red Devils should have been well ahead by the half-time break, but poor finishing scuppered their hopes of securing a much-needed victory. A baffling penalty decision handed West Ham the points and was ultimately the final nail in the coffin for Erik ten Hag, who was sacked by United the following day.

Everton triumphed 1–0 on their most recent visit to the London Stadium last October and have nothing to fear from the hosts this time.

A home game against Brentford on November 23 gives Everton the chance to round off what will hopefully be a productive month for the club.

The Bees have been hit and miss this season, winning four and drawing one of their nine matches. Each of their four defeats has been on the road—a statistic that should give Everton plenty of confidence heading into the game.

The Toffees are unbeaten in their last four outings against the London side and look a good bet to enhance that record at Goodison Park.

A nine-point haul is not beyond Everton in November if they produce their best form, although Dyche will likely be happy if they avoid any defeats. However, a quick look at Everton’s schedule in December highlights why they must garner as many points as possible next month. Everton face seven fixtures during December, four of which are against teams currently in the top five of the standings.

Their other three fixtures against Man United (A), Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), and Nottingham Forest (H) also have the potential to be tricky. Everton must give themselves some breathing space by enjoying a productive November before they embark on what will likely be a pivotal run of fixtures the following month.