The Toffees host The Baggies in the opening fixture of GW2. Everton are seeking back to back victories for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign. WBA on the other hand have not lost their first away game in the last six campaigns (W2 D4) and have managed a clean sheet in the last five of them.
VENUE: Goodison Park
DATE: 19th Sep 2020
TIME: 17:00 IST
EVERTON:
· Everton have lost just one of their previous eleven premier league encounters against the baggies, their last defeat being a 1-0 away defeat under Roberto Martinez in 2016.
· Everton started off the campaign with a deserved 1-0 win over spurs, played confident football out from the back and looked a complete side.
· New signings proved vital to The Toffees start ; ex-Watford star Abdoulaye Doucure was their most progressive midfielder who created 4 chances and will regularly look to exploit gaps with his runs behind the back line, James Rodrigues looks like he is adapting to life well, regularly cutting inside and using his left foot to good use, Allan is the most important, with him playing the Pivot role perfectly.
· Richarlison will look to get on the score sheet after missing a couple of clear chances against Spurs.
Probable starting XI: Pickford, Coleman- Mina-Keane-Digne, Allan-Doucoure-Gomes, James- Richarlison- Calvert Lewin
WEST BROM
· The Baggies have kept eight clean sheets against Everton, their most number of shutouts. They have eight against Sunderland too.
· West Brom will have to reinforce their midfield if they have any chance against this new look Everton side. Bilic might have to sacrifice a creative player like Matheus Pereira and play a 3-5-2 instead of the 4-4-2 he recently deployed in the EFL.
Probable starting XI: Johnstone, Furlong-Gibbs-O’shea-Ajayi, Livermore-Pereira-Diangana-