EPL – Match Preview – Everton vs Swansea City

EPL – Match Preview – Everton vs Swansea City

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Everton return home for a clash with Swansea City on Sunday.

The Toffees will still be hurting after conceding a controversy-fraught 98th-minute leveller to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, scored by John Terry. Everton led the reigning champions twice, 2-0 and 3-2, only to blow it in yet another case of dropped points, a problem that has dogged the club’s season.

A top four berth is looking all the more unlikely as the season wears on, as is finishing in midst of the top half. Yet a home duel with the struggling Swans could be the impetus, or as some might see it, last chance saloon, for Everton to revive their lofty ambitions for the season.

‘Struggling’ is indeed an apt word to describe Swansea. Their campaign to date has slid downhill dramatically after some impressive highs early days, including a 2-1 home win over Manchester United.

However, things have looked up somewhat since Alan Curtis took over on an interim basis after Garry Monk’s sacking. A 1-0 win over Watford, thanks to a goal from Ashley Williams, put the Swans back on the winner’s list and afforded them a much needed three points.

Key Battle – Ashley Williams and Federico Fernandez vs Romelu Lukaku

Simply saying that Swansea need to negate the league’s leading goalscorer is easy, but they will be on the back foot for much of the match and will have to make sure Romelu Lukaku is kept in check.

Federico Fernandez and Ashley Williams will have that task and the stats back up just how important this duel might be. Though Everton have conceded the sixth-most goals in the league with 32 leaked, Swansea have netted just 20 times versus the Toffees’ 39; Lukaku has 15 of those.

One assumes that if Everton can get in front, likely through Lukaku, there will be no coming back for the Swans.

Team News

Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy have returned to training but are not expected to be ready in time for this match, particularly with a crucial League Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City on the horizon. Bryan Oviedo was stretchered off in West London but was cleared of serious injury. He is unlikely to be risked, however. Everton could be stretched at right-back with John Stones or Ramiro Funes Mori likely to push out wide.

Curtis has the luxury of full compliment of players to choose from and the maintenance of a winning formula. Do not expect too many changes from the Swansea camp.

EVESWA

Head-to-Head

Since 1981, this is a fixture that has been dominated by Everton. Swansea have just one win against them 15 matches and that came in the League Cup in 2014. The Blues have bested the Swans nine times.

Previous Meeting

These teams last met at the Liberty Stadium shortly after the season began, in September. The visitors dominated but could not break Swansea down, managing only a 0-0 draw.

Prediction

There is simply too much to lose for Everton in this match. A home loss to a team ranked 17th would be catastrophic and they will be desperate to avoid such a circumstance. It will not be easy though with Swansea likely to travel to Merseyside intent on defensive solidity, a quality the Toffees have struggled to combat.

Everton 2 Swansea City 1

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