After our win against Brighton in the Premier League and the Cherries first win and points of the season after four defeats, the next game is a trip up to Merseyside to meet the team that plays in blue, Everton. Last season Everton finished in 7th place, two places but 15 points above the Cherries. In the Premier League our visits to that area against both Everton and Liverpool have only given us 1 point so far, that was last season at Anfield.
Everton made a number of signings during the Summer, amongst them, Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea for £45 million, Michael Keane from Burnley for £30 million, young goalkeeper from Sunderland Jordan Pickford for £30 million and Davy Klaassen for £23.6 million from Ajax. One player that came back to Everton the club he supports is Wayne Rooney from Manchester United in a deal that sees Romelu Lukaku joining Manchester United for £90 million, he is one of a number of players to leave Everton, some out on loan.
This hasn`t been a good start for Ronald Koeman`s side and they presently sit in 3rd from bottom place in the Premier League, one place and 1 point above the Cherries. They have found goals hard to come by this season and only one player is on the score sheet so far and that`s Wayne Rooney with 2 goals. They started off the season with a home win against Stoke City, followed up with a draw away at Manchester City, the only team so far to take a point off City home and away. This has followed with three straight defeats and no goals with 9 goals conceded. First losing away at Chelsea, followed by a home defeat against Spurs and then in their last game losing away to Manchester United. It was a sequence of 2, 3 and then 4 goal defeats.
After our win against Brighton in the Premier League at Dean Court which should have boosted confidence, it might be a good time to visit Goodison Park again and not face the threat of Romelu Lukaku who scored 4 goals against us last time. They have three defenders over 30-years of age and against Manchester United it showed at times, with 3 goals coming in the last 7 minutes. Koeman will want to get his Everton side back to winning ways in front of the Everton faithful.
Everton Team News:
They should have a strong squad to pick from with no new injuries reported so far from the games against Manchester United in the league and Sunderland in the League Cup.
Player to watch: Wayne Rooney
The only Everton player to score so far for them this season in the league is Wayne Rooney and one player for us to watch. Gylfi Sigurdsson another player, strong at set pieces/direct free-kicks and has a strong shot from distance. Dominic Calvert-Lewin the 20-year-old forward, gave an impressive performance and scored a couple of goals for Everton in the League Cup, might have done enough for a starting place.
AFC Bournemouth Team News:
Steve Cook and Junior Stanislas should be fit for selection after they both seem to come through the cup game against Brighton without any problems. One or two players beside first team regulars could also be in contention.
Player to watch: Jermain Defoe
Given the service, it must be Jermain Defoe who finished so clinically against Brighton in the Premier League for his first goal for the club since his return. Josh King also looked sharp on Tuesday night in the cup game. Jordan Ibe has looked good in his last two games and might have done enough to get a starting place at Everton and give the service our strikers need.
Match Facts & Stats
We have played two Premier League games against Everton away, losing both of them. Last time we visited Goodison Park, it was back in February of this year and Everton won in a game with nine goals, Everton scoring six of them, it`s the highest number of goals we have conceded in a Premier League game so far. In the earlier game at Dean Court AFCB won with the only goal of the game coming from Junior Stanislas.
In all competitions the Cherries have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 6.
