Everton vs West Ham: Expect A Tough Afternoon For The Blues Against West Ham

The best of the rest. Goodison Park plays host to two sides that will be setting their sites on a top six finish duel on Sunday. 

The hosts come into this two points off leaders Chelsea having taken very well to live under Rafa Benitez and are good value for this having generated an xPTS of 13.61 after navigating their way through a few tough opening fixtures. They were certainly good value for their point at Old Trafford before the break and would have left all three if Mina could have timed his run better. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison remain on a rather lengthy list of absentees so Demarai Gray looks set to continue in attack playing just off Salomon Rondon

As for West Ham, question marks remain over the fitness of Vladimir Coufal and Ryan Fredericks here though the former should start.

Odds wise, the hosts are slight favourites at around 13/8. They may also represent the value as they have won 50% of their games when priced accordingly.

I fancy a goal laden clash as Goodison this Sunday given the start West Ham have made to the campaign. Moyes’ men’s domestic matches have averaged 3.4 goals per game as this angle has landed in all bar one of their games! This is testament to the freedom their supremo allows them to play with and the wealth of options they have at the top end of the pitch.

Talisman Michail Antonio is in fine fettle, directly contributing to eight goals- five scored and three assisted. Said Benrahma has a G+A per 90 average of 0.76, Pablo Fornals’ is 0.44, Jarrad Bowen’s is 0.30 and Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek are chipping in both averaging 0.29. 

There are a few caveats to this bet. The first being Moyes' record against Benitez, it is not good. It is also worth acknowledging the fact that there has been two goals or less in all bar one of these sides last six head-to-heads and that came in a Cup game so traditionally this fixture has not provided fans with much bang for their buck. Finally, Everton look to be without Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, the pair have contributed to over half of their sides goals this season. 

That aside, I think WHU’s overwhelming attack and lackadaisical defense makes the above worth overlooking.

Abdoulaye Doucoure has been back to his swashbuckling best this campaign bagging two goals, assisting four and picking up three cards and it is his ill-discipline that I am focusing on here. 

Over the course of his career he has averaged 0.23 cards per 90 which translate to an expected price of around 7/2. Obviously Betfair and Paddy Power have him shorter than that but given the cynical start he has made to the campaign- three cards and 12 fouls in seven appearances- you can understand why. 

I think it is worth noting that at least one of Everton’s central midfielders have been booked in three of the last four head-to-heads. In the top flight this season, at least one of West Ham’s opposition's central midfielders has received a caution in three of their seven games which does not really come as a surprise given the attacking talent at Moyes disposal. 

The Hammers attacking quartet of Antonio, Fornals, Bowen and Benrahma top their sides charts for fouls won, drawing a combined average of 5.2 a game and I expect them to torment the Toffee’s midfield at Goodison on Sunday.

You can combine a Doucoure card with an assist using Betfair’s ‘Bet Builder’ tab at odds of 40/1. 

As previously alluded to, Everton’s all action midfielder has already directly contributed to six domestic goals this campaign, that is a G + A per 90 average of 0.86! At 6/1 his assist price certainly appeals, especially considering that if you based his price up on his assist per 90 average from this season (0.57) it would be odds on! All things considered, I expected it to be around the 7/2 mark so I would suggest this angle as a single. 

Best of luck if you are backing any of these selections and please remember to gamble responsibly.