AFCB Vital Match Zone

Closing Chapter On An Eventful Season For AFCB

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Written by billythekid

Our last game and closing chapter of our season is away at Goodison Park on Sunday at 4.30 pm against Everton, this game is being shown live on Sky. This season has been an eventful one of ups and downs for our club on and off the pitch. On the pitch, losing away 9-0 at Liverpool when Scott Parker was at the helm for a brief period in the Premier League, to beating Liverpool 1-0 at Dean Court under Gary O’Neil. This was from a low to a high for everyone connected with AFCB including the fans. Another game was losing from a two-goal lead to Spurs at home and then beating them with a last-gasp winning goal in London, both games ending 2-3.

Around the middle of December in off-field developments, our club also changed ownership, from Max Demin who with Eddie Howe as our manager, saw our club rise from League 1 up into the Premier League in a relatively short time. Max decided to find a new owner who hopefully could take our club that one step further in the Las Vegas based American Bill Foley who officially acquired AFCB.

At the half way point of the season after 19 games, AFCB were in 17th position on 16 points. Our opponents on Sunday, Everton were in 19th position on 15 points when Frank Lampard was manager. He was sacked after the next game in the away defeat at West Ham. In his place came Sean Dyche, his job to try and keep Everton in the top league, they are one of six clubs who have never been relegated from the Premier League.

Going into this game AFCB are in 15th position on 39 points. Everton are in 17th position on 33 points. A draw might be enough for Everton to remain in the Premier League, but with two teams who are also at home and two points behind, one with a better GD, Everton to make really sure need to beat our team on Sunday.

Everton over the last six games have picked up 6 points, with a win and three draws. AFCB in their last six games have also picked up 6 points, with two wins. At home in their last three games, Everton have lost all three, 1-3 against Fulham, 1-4 against Newcastle United and 0-3 against Manchester City. Since Sean Dyche has been in charge they have W 4, D 6, L 7. AFCB in their last three away games have beaten both Spurs 2-3 and Southampton 0-1. Their last away game the Cherries lost 2-0 against Crystal Palace.

The last time our side visited Goodison Park was also the last game of the season in July 2020. Even with goals from Josh King from the penalty spot early into the game, Everton equalised four minutes before half-time through Moise Keen. Just before the interval and into injury time, Dominic Solanke to put the Cherries back into the lead. Junior Stanislas made it 1-3 with ten minutes of normal time to go, but even with AFCB first win away against Everton and Aston Villa drawing at West Ham, AFCB were relegated by 1 point.

In all our away games against Everton, AFCB have W 1, D 0, L 4.
In all competitions, AFCB have W 6, D 2, L 8.

Everton v AFCB

Everton Win

Draw

AFCB Win

AFCB Win

Everton Team News
No players came in January, but Anthony Gordon left the club to sign for Newcastle United for £45 million. They have a number of injuries going into this last game, including the most recent one to striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin who is a doubt for Sunday.

Everton Player To Watch
Dwight McNeil seems to be their player in form, had an outstanding game away at Brighton and was MOM. He has scored 4 goals and 1 assist in his last seven games. He is the Everton leading scorer with 7 goals.

AFCB Team News
Philip Billing and Joe Rothwell were two players missing from our last home game with injuries, on top of those we already know about. Gary O’Neil hoped to have Hamed Traore back before the last game

AFCB Player To Watch
Going into the last game, Philip Billing is our leading scorer with 7 goals from 33 (2)* starts. Dominic Solanke has scored 6 goals in 31 starts (1)*. So will be interesting to see who finishes as our highest scorer. The other player to watch is Jefferson Lerma, going into this game he has scored 5 goals, the most in any season at AFCB and it could be his last game for our club. (Substitute)*.

The Referee
Stuart Atwell is the man in charge of this important game for Everton. He has taken two of our games this season, ‘that’ game away against Liverpool and our home game with Newcastle United.

Your say…

table said…

Thanks Billy for all the work you put into these previews, always the start of matchday anticipation for me. Don’t expect it’s a 5 minutes job, so thanks again for giving up your time doing these : ) – To join the conversation, click here.

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