Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: Everton vs Crystal Palace
Kickoff Time: 2024-02-20 04:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/ JASON CAIRNDUFF
Everton have been deducted 10 league points for breaching Premier
League financial regulations and are currently battling to avoid relegation.
Given the current situation, they have been dealing with injuries and national
team call-ups, resulting in a win-less streak of seven league matches. During
this period, they only managed to score four goals and struggled offensively,
partly due to the absence of Abdoulaye Doucoure, their leading scorer with six
goals, who was sidelined due to injury. The positive news is that Doucoure has
returned to training, and with the conclusion of the African Cup of Nations and
the return of key midfielder Idrissa Gueye, Everton are expected to field their
strongest lineup. From a tactical perspective, Everton’s strength lies in their
midfield, averaging 20.1 steals per game, which ranks them third in the Premier
League. They also excel in interceptions, averaging 9.8 per game, placing them
second in the Premier League. Set-piece offense is another area where Everton
shines, as 50% of their league goals this season have come from set-piece
situations. On the match day, it is the 36th birthday of the charity
organization “Everton Community.” There will be celebrations at home,
featuring performances by mixed martial arts athlete Molly McCann and singer
Megan Wyn. This indicates that Everton, playing at home, will have an
additional boost of fighting spirit.
Prior to the start of this round, Crystal Palace faced pressure to
avoid relegation, as they were only five points clear of the relegation zone.
Recent trends indicate that Crystal Palace struggle in away games. They have
gone win-less in their last seven away matches, including a loss to newly
promoted Luton Town. Additionally, Crystal Palace are dealing with the absence
of key players such as defensive midfielder Cheick Doucoure, attacking
midfielder Eberechi Eze, defensive core Marc Guehi, and offensive core Michael
Olise, who are vital components of them and not easily replaceable. In the
previous round, Crystal Palace suffered a 1-3 defeat to Chelsea and made only
two substitutions throughout the match. Adding to their challenges, 76-year-old
coach Roy Hodgson fell ill during command training on Thursday and had to be
hospitalized for treatment. This raises uncertainty about his ability to
conduct on-site coaching and the possibility of his resignation. Several media
outlets have reported that former Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner is expected to
succeed Hodgson.
The two previously faced each other in the third round of the FA Cup,
with Everton securing a narrow 1-0 victory at home, giving them a psychological
advantage heading into this upcoming match. Currently, Everton’s key players
have returned to the lineup, whereas Crystal Palace are missing their
influential figure. This further widens the gap in strength between the two. As
a result, Everton are expected to have a comfortable win in the upcoming match.
Everton’s Last 5 Games: LDDLW
24-02-10 Manchester City 2-0 Everton
24-02-03 Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
24-01-31 Fulham 0-0 Everton
24-01-27 Everton 1-2 Luton Town
24-01-18 Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s Last 5 Games: LLWLL
24-02-13 Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea
24-02-03 Brighton 4-1 Crystal Palace
24-01-31 Crystal Palace 3-2 Sheffield United
24-01-20 Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace
24-01-18 Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace
Head To Head Record:
24-01-18 Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace
24-01-05 Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
23-11-11 Crystal Palace 2-3 Everton
23-04-22 Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
22-10-22 Everton 3-0 Crystal Palace
Prediction: Everton to win