Everton vs Arsenal 07/04/19

7 April 2019

An improving Everton welcome an in-form Arsenal to Goodison Park for a Premier League clash the visitors have to win to keep up the tempo in the Champions League promotion race.

Sitting 10th in the table, the hosts can still qualify for the Europa League as they currently trail seventh-placed Wolverhampton by four points. The Toffees have entered this round carrying on back-to-back PL wins (both 2-0), which is the first time since early November that they’ve managed to secure two straight league victories. However, Marco Silva’s men have endured mixed fortunes at home recently, pulling off just two wins in nine of their previous PL home outings (W2, D3, L4). Immense problems in the final third are guilty of Everton’s recent struggling at home – they’ve failed to find the net in three of their last six PL home games.

Meanwhile, the visitors’ top-four finish is on the line here, with Chelsea and Manchester United asking questions. The Gunners’ strong run of form over the past couple of months (W6, D1) is the main reason they currently sit fourth, but their recent problems on the road are the biggest threat here. Four defeats in six of their previous away games across all competitions (D1, L2) have seen Unai Emery’s players scoring one goal or less on five occasions while failing to keep a clean sheet in each. Additionally, Arsenal are the only team in the English top tier that has struggled to preserve a clean slate in all 14 of their PL road clashes, allowing more goals away from home than any other top-ten PL side (27).