English Premier
2018-11-24 - Everton vs Cardiff City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 24th November 2018 - Kick Off 3pm
Everton
The fans are definitely much happier with the performances Everton have been putting out in the Premier League under Marco Silva compared with what they were watching under Sam Allardyce a few months ago. However it is hard to really know what the expectation is at the club, especially in a Premier League which looks to be more competitive through the top ten than previous years.
At the moment Everton come into this round of fixtures in 9th place in the Premier League table, but 19 points from a possible 36 is a healthy return in the first season under a new manager. The home form has been key to the start made by Everton and the side will be looking to improve their 4-1-1 Premier League record at Goodison Park where Everton have scored 12 goals and conceded 6.
Everton have only lost 1 of their last 8 games in all competitions in normal time, although losing a penalty shoot out in the League Cup during that run, and they earned a tough point at Chelsea last time out to show they can compete with any team in the Division. They have won their last 3 Premier League games at Goodison Park against Fulham, Crystal Palace and Brighton and Everton have scored at least twice in each of those wins.
Andre Gomes and James McCarthy should both be passed fit to be involved, while Kurt Zouma is also available having been ineligible to play against Chelsea two weeks ago. Gylfi Sigurdsson had to withdraw from the Iceland squad and he is a doubt for this League game.
Cardiff City
Conceding an early goal at home to a relegation rival would have put the shivers through the Cardiff City fans two weeks ago and a defeat to Brighton would have made it a very long season. Things changed through an equaliser before Dale Stephens was sent off and Cardiff City just about had enough in the final third to secure a vital three points and give the team new impetus.
Even though we are only in November there can be no doubting the importance of the Cardiff City win over Brighton two weeks ago which dragged the club up to 18th in the Premier League table. They are now inside the bottom three on goal difference and The Bluebirds have vitally stayed in touch with the teams above them thanks to Sol Bamba's late winner. It has been tough for Cardiff City away from home though and they have a 0-1-4 away record in the Premier League having scored 2 goals and conceded 11.
Cardiff City may have lost 8 of their last 10 games in all competitions, but they have won 2 of their last 4 which has helped them move up the League table. They have lost their last 3 away League games, but those have come against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool so easier away battles are in front of them although perhaps not this week.
Jazz Richards, Kenneth Zahore and Sean Morrison are all hoping to return from injury and give manager Neil Warnock a full squad to choose from.
Head to Head
Everton took four points from Cardiff City in the 2013/14 Premier League season with the majority coming in the 2-1 win over them at Goodison Park.
That wins means Everton have won their last 4 home games against Cardiff City going through the years.
Prediction
You just know Neil Warnock would have loved to have had another Premier League fixture between the Brighton win and the international break just to see if his side could build on the momentum that comes from a late winner.
Two weeks later the euphoria would have died down and Cardiff City players will know they are back into the hard work needed to compete at the Premier League level.
This weekend they travel to Everton who have been performing very well at home with numerous chances being created and the goals have not been too far away. The absence of Gylfi Sigurdsson could be a potential blow to Everton with the Icelandic player being a real key under Marco Silva, but Everton do have enough about them to put Cardiff City under some pressure.
Cardiff City simply have not defended as well as they would have liked at this level and that has seen them exposed to some heavy losses already. Those have come against the very best teams in the Division though and Warnock will be reminding his players that Everton are not up there with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
In saying that there is still a definite edge with the home team who have beaten teams like Fulham, Crystal Palace and Brighton at Goodison Park in the last few weeks. All of those clubs are of similar stature to Cardiff City and it has the feeling of being a tough afternoon for the visitors against an Everton team who have scored two or more goals in 3 straight home League games.
If they score two here I would imagine they would have too much for Cardiff City and I do think Everton are capable of doing that. Even without Sigurdsson, who is a doubt having missed the Iceland games during the two week international break, Everton have some quality players in the final third and I will back the home team to come out of the break and enter the festive period with a strong home win behind them.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Everton 3-1 Cardiff City
