Everton vs Bournemouth match preview, analysis, H2H

Timothy Jesuyemi

5 days ago

Everton have their final homework on Sunday which entails beating AFC Bournemouth.

Sean Dyche’s men go up against a team that has been successful in putting relegation worries behind themselves, Bournemouth. Everton particularly will remember the woes that befell them last year in the pre-World Cup EPL fixture, enduring a 3-0 loss to The Cherries at the Vitality Stadium. Marcus Tavernier, Kieffer Moore, and Jaidon Antony were all on target for Garry O’Neil’s side as they ran out winners of the tie.

Bournemouth recorded a substantial 3-0 win over the Toffees last time out. Everton must change the narrative this time around for their survival.

The Toffees find themselves in seventeenth position but with an obvious advantage over table neighbours, Leeds United and Leicester City. The duo trail Everton by two points, both having registered 31 points in 37 games compared to the former’s 33. With seven wins in the bag, twelve draws and eighteen defeats, Everton need to avoid losing to The Cherries on Sunday evening and hope Leicester City and Leeds don’t defeat West Ham and Tottenham in the other decisive fixtures if they are willing to renew their topflight ticket in the Premier League for the 31st season running. Otherwise, a win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park would seal another season of first-tier English football.

Since its inception in 1992, Everton have never been relegated from the Premier League.

Everton are coming from the Molineux stadium where they managed a single point against Julen Lopetegui’s Wolverhampton Wanderers. Hwang Hee-chan gave the home side the lead four minutes past the half-hour mark but Yerry Mina’s injury-time effort salvaged a 1-1 draw for Sean Dyche and Everton.

Garry O’Neil’s side have already ditched demotion to the Championship despite having endured three straight defeats in their last three EPL matches to Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Manchester United. 1-0 and 4-1 victories over Southampton and Leeds United respectively saw the club steer clear of trouble to safety, moving to 34 and 37 points respectively.

With 11 wins, six draws, 20 defeats in the bag, and yet another season of Premier League football guaranteed, Sunday evening’s visitors have no pressure on their necks as they approach the tie at Goodison Park with ease. A win though may see the 2021/22 EFL Championship runners-up leapfrog both Wolves and West Ham in 13th and 14th positions respectively if the duo do anything but win.

A 13th-placed finish would see Bournemouth finish just behind Chelsea who are well out of their reach regardless of their outcome on Sunday. They would somewhat replicate their 12th-placed finish in the 2017/18 season where they ended the campaign with 45 points in 38 games, two above West Ham’s 42.

The Cherries make an easeful trip away from the Vitality Stadium where they recorded a 1-0 loss to the Red Devils last time out on Saturday. Casemiro’s early goal was the lone thing that separated both sides as Erik Ten Hag’s men ultimately came out on top, sealing their fourth-place finish in that tie.

Everton vs Bournemouth key stats

Everton have never been relegated from the English Premier League since its introduction in 1992. They are looking to renew their topflight ticket for the 31st season running.
A win over The Cherries on Sunday would secure top-tier football for Sean Dyche’s men next term. A draw would potentially place their fates in the hands of Leicester City and Leeds United.
Bournemouth are without a win in their past three Premier League fixtures, recording three straight losses to Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Manchester United.
The Cherries have won three of their past four away fixtures in the Premier League(vs Southampton, Leicester and Tottenham).
Everton are without a win in their past four games at the Goodison Park
The Toffees have recorded a single win in their past ten fixtures this season.
Everton have been defeated twice by Bournemouth this season, first a 4-1 away defeat in the third round of the EFL Cup on November 8 and a 3-0 loss on the same ground four days later in the Premier League
The Toffees are without a win in their past four games against Bournemouth
Sean Dyche has come up against Bournemouth eleven times in the past(all as manager of Burnley) with six wins, two draws and three losses.
Garry O’Neil has defeated Everton twice in his two meetings against The Toffees.