Everton vs Southampton Prediction - A Very Important Match For Both Sides

Next Saturday, 4th of April 2015, Ronald Koeman’s impressive Southampton will travel to Liverpool to measure forces with Everton at Goodison Park for round 31 of the English Premier League.

After three matches in a row without a single defeat, the Saints are now heading to Merseyside to face a team that has been clearly underachieving this season but that will certainly offer plenty of difficulties to Ronald Koeman’s boys. After their excellent result at Stamford Bridge against the league leaders Chelsea, Southampton returned to wins when they hosted Burnley at St Mary’s Stadium two weeks ago. A first-half goal from Shane Long and an own goal from Jason Shackell granted the three points for a brave Southampton’s team that keeps impressing at the English Premier League.

The Saints seem to have left behind their less positive period that went on through the entire month of February, where they have only won one of the five matches they took part in. Southampton were defeated four times in just a month’s time and such poor results were responsible for the team dropping a few places in the EPL table.

Next Saturday’s clash will certainly not be easy for Ronald Koeman’s men, but they will surely do everything within their reach to replicate their last December’s performance when they smashed the Toffees at St Mary’s Stadium by 3-0.

As for Everton, the Toffees have been having a season to forget and some are already wondering if the departure of Roberto Martínez won’t be the best thing for the club at the moment. Everton are currently at the 13th place of the EPL table with just 34 points from 30 matches and they already know for certain that they will not be taking any part in international competitions next season.

After the Kyiv’s nightmare and their subsequent elimination from the UEFA Europa League two weeks ago, Everton returned to wins at Loftus Road and snatched three important points at the expenses of a QPR in danger of being relegated.

Given both sides’ recent form, it is fair to say that Southampton are firm favourites for the upcoming match, although, by playing at home, Everton might have a word to say during those 90 minutes.

Everton

Stats: W-3 L-2 D-0

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Southampton

Stats: W-2 L-2 D-1

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Possible Line-ups

Everton (4-4-2) – Howard - Coleman - Stones - Jagielka - Baines - Lennon - McCarthy - Gibson - Osman - Lukaku - Naismith

Southampton (4-2-3-1) - Davis - Clyne - Fonte - Alderweireld - Bertrand - Wanyama - Schneiderlin - Davis - Tadic - Mané - Long - Pelle

Injury List / Suspended Players

Everton

Romelu Lukaku (inj) (in doubt)

Darron Gibson (inj) (in doubt)

Bryan Oviedo (inj)

Arouna Koné (inj)

Southampton

Fraser Forster (inj)

Emmanuel Mayuka (inj)

Jay Rodriguez (inj)

Head-to-head matches:

Top Players:

Everton

Romelu Lukaku

Tim Howard

Ross Barkley

Southampton

José Fonte

Morgan Schneiderlin

Graziano Pelle

Predictable Goal Scorers:

Everton

1. Romelu Lukaku
2. Steven Naismith
3. Aaron Lennon

Southampton

1. Graziano Pelle
2. Sadio Mané
3. Shane Long

Half-Time Score

Everton 1 Southampton 1

Full-Time Score

Everton 1 Southampton 2