ENGLAND: Premier League
Date: Friday, 23 April 2021
Kick-off at 21:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Emirates Stadium (London)
A last-gasp 1-1 home draw against lowly Fulham last time out, which saw Arsenal score their latest Premier League (PL) goal (96:09) in over four years, has done little to improve the mood at the Emirates, as the ‘Gunners’ continue to flounder. Sat three points and a place behind visiting Everton in ninth, and having played one extra match, defeat for the Gunners here could push the club further towards their worst PL finish since 1994/95!
With indifferent PL home form this season (W6, D4, L6), the hosts have clearly lacked goalscoring prowess and have failed to score seven times here across 16 matches – the PL’s fourth-worst return. That’s had an impact early on as Arsenal have scored an average of just 0.50 first-half goals per PL home match and led at HT just twice here this top-flight campaign – only already-relegated Sheffield have done so fewer times at home.
Everton are enjoying a steady season under boss Carlo Ancelotti and are still hunting European qualification. However, poor form over their last five PL outings (D3, L2) could hinder that push, as could the fact that the ‘Toffees’ haven’t won a PL H2H at the Emirates in 14 attempts (D4, L10).
Regardless, the visitors have maintained fantastic away form all season, carrying the fourth-best PL record to date, and winning ‘to nil’ in 33.33% of their away games – the division’s third-best such record. In fact, Everton have kept three clean sheets in their last four PL away games (W2, D1, L1).
Players to watch: Nicolas Pépé has two goals and an assist in his last three appearances across all competitions for the Gunners; the Ivorian also netted a penalty in the reverse H2H. Visiting Dominic Calvert-Lewin has 14 goals in 26 PL appearances for Everton this season, with five of his last six coming during the first half.
Recent Stats:
- Arsenal’s form in last 5 matches: DWWDL.
- Everton’s form in last 5 matches: DDDLL.
PREDICTION: Draw
