AFC Bournemouth will be trying to resurrect their ill-fated campaign when they play host to an in-form Everton side on 29 November.
The Vitality Stadium will likely be packed to the brim to see the Cherries flaunt their understated style of play, but will remain cautious of an Everton side coming off a 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa.
Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku bagged a brace each in the fixture against the Villans, notching Everton’s 11th goal in three games. Bournemouth, meanwhile, were left frustrated by a 2-2 draw with Swansea City after taking a two-goal lead.
As it stands, Bournemouth linger in the relegation zone, a single point off 17th-placed Newcastle United, with Everton sitting on the cusp of European qualification in seventh place. Both sides will be desperate to take all three points away from this fixture, with major positional incentives within three points’ reach.
Key Battle – Romelu Lukaku vs Adam Federici
Lukaku will carry on leading the line for Roberto Martinez’s side on the weekend. The Belgian international has been in hot form for his club side, notching nine goals and four assists in 13 games, essentially meaning that he has had a hand in a goal in each of Everton’s 13 fixtures so far this season.
The man charged with slowing Lukaku’s surge is Adam Federici. The Australian goalkeeper has earned himself a starting spot in the absence of Polish shotstopper Artur Boruc. With four Premier League starts under his belt, Federici has already conceded 10 goals, though brings with him the added confidence that comes with two consecutive clean sheets over the recent international break.
This means the outcome of the game may well pivot on Federici’s ability to step in and make a couple of halting plays and/or whether Lukaku’s sights are unstoppably tuned, as they have been of late.
Team News
With the transfer window still over a month away, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is forced to limp along with the players available to him. Simon Francis is expected to relocate back to right-back with the return of Steve Cook at centre-back. Joshua King will likely lead the line, with the in-form Junior Stanislas expected to be given the start ahead of the recently re-signed Marc Pugh.
AFC Bournemouth Expected XI (4-1-4-1): Federici (GK); Francis, Distin, Cook, Daniels; Surman; Ritchie, Gosling, Arter, Stanislas; King.
Over in Everton’s camp, it is a case of more of the same from Martinez and his favoured XI with the added bonus of the return of Leighton Baines. No stranger to the inconvenience that injuries can pose, Everton will still be without club captain Phil Jagielka for another couple of weeks.
Everton Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Howard (GK); Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Barry, McCarthy; Deulofeu, Barkley, Kone; Lukaku.
Head-to-Head
Having only met on three previous occasions, some time ago, Everton may take away a bit of extra confidence from the fact that they have won on all previous occasions. The results, however, do not carry all that much weight given that even the most recent result is from 1985.
Prediction
Expect a Bournemouth side eager to wrestle the tempo of the game away from Everton, but one that will struggle to match the quality within the Toffees’ ranks.
Bournemouth have shown time and time again their ability to hold possession and dictate play against Premier League opposition, but with Lukaku and Barkley running hot, Bourmemouth will struggle to deal with moments of brilliance.
AFC Bournemouth 1 Everton 3
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