Everton Arsenal Match Preview

The Saturday showpiece event of the Premier League takes us to Goodison Park, where Everton take on Arsenal in an early season test. Gunners started their season with a 2-1 win over a manager-less Crystal Palace, Aaron Ramsey scoring the winner at the 90th min of the game. The Toffees come off a disappointing draw at Leicester, the Roberto Martinez side will be looking to put forward a better show for the home crowd. With Everton looking to finish in the top 4, and Arsenal looking to stomp their authority as title challengers, a victory today for either of the sides will show rest of the teams about their capability to win majors games.

Team & Injury News:

Everton:

The season is just a week old, and we already have two top teams facing each other in an early season test for the sides. After an opening day draw, Everton will be hoping for a better performance at the first home game of the new Barclays Premier League season. The Toffees could be looking at last season’s Goodison game, as they derailed the Gunners title hopes. Everton have their injury concerns, one being Ross Barkley who is expected to miss out for the best part of first half the season with a knee ligament injury, with Bryan Oviedo is still recovering from a broken leg sustained last season.

Probable Line-up: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distan, Baines, Barry, McCarthy, Pienaar, Naismith, Lukaku.

Player to watch-out for: Romelu Lukaku.

Arsenal:

Arsenal faced a tactically disciplined Palace side on the opening day, with a late Aaron Ramsey goal, gave the Gunners a winning start to their new season. The Gunners also had a busy midweek, as they played out a goalless draw against Turkish side Besiktas in the Champions league qualifiers. The Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta with off injured, and has been ruled out for the game against Everton.

Theo Walcott is still weeks away from start playing, with Gibbs and Sanogo nursing small hamstring injuries which were picked up on the opening day against Palace. New signing David Ospina will not be available for selection until next week. But there is some good news for the Arsenal fans, the squad will be boosted with the German world cup winning contingent returning, which means possible starts for Ozil and Per Mertesacker.

Probable Line-up: Szczesny, Debuchy, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Wilshere, Flamini, Sanchez, Ramsey, Cazorla, Giroud.

Player to watch-out for: Aaron Ramsey

Score Prediction: Everton 1-1 Arsenal