Match Preview
Everton finish their 2023-24 Premier League schedule at the Emirates Stadium where they could yet play a part in determining whether the title stays in Manchester or ends up in North London for the first time in 20 years.
In his efforts to motivate his troops, Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has brutally and rather disrespectfully written off any chance of the Toffees helping his cause when he told the media, ‘If you think Everton are going to do something [against Arsenal] , forget about it.”
Recent history supports his thesis, of course. Everton have won on Arsenal’s turf just twice in the Premier League era, have lost on their last two visits there by an aggregate score of 9-1, and their last trip to the Capital ended in a 6-0 hiding by Chelsea.
However, Sean Dyche and his men travel with the weight of relegation concerns long since lifted off their shoulders and on a run of just one defeat in their last eight, five of them victories.
With a rejuvenated Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line, Abdoulaye Doucouré having broken his scoring duck for 2024, Idrissa Gueye in excellent form in the middle, Jarrad Branthwaite enjoying an impressive partnership with James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford in the conversation for the goalkeeping spot in the Premier League team of the year, the Blues are well positioned to at least make life very difficult for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta has fashioned a team worthy of taking his mentor and City right to the final day, though, and were it not for a slip-up at the Emirates a month ago, they would surely be going into this game with a point’s advantage.
As it is, it’s Manchester City’s Championship to lose and they only need to beat West Ham at the Etihad Stadium to become the first English club to win four consecutive league titles.
Dyche is expected to honour the occasion, the spirit of competition and his own desire to win by fielding his strongest line-up which will probablty mean an unchanged side from the one that started the win over Sheffield United last weekend.
That would mean Ashley Young starting at left-back in place of the injured Vitalii Mykolenko and James Garner operating in right-midfield with Jack Harrison having sustained a hamstring injury that prematurely ended his campaign before he returns to Leeds United this summer, at least for the time being.
Dyche could then give a final appearance to André Gomes and another run-out to players like Youssef Chermiti, Lewis Dobbin and Lewis Warrington off the bench later in proceedings, depending on how things are going.
For their part, Arsenal look set to only be without Jurrien Timber who might not pass a fitness test.
Arteta’s team are formidable and have been perfect since dropping those crucial points to Villa. They come into the final weekend of the season on a five-match winning streak and it will take everything Everton have to prevent them powering to another victory.
Stranger things have happened and with the hosts perhaps nervy and with one ear on events in Manchester, it’s by no means beyond the realms of possibility that Everton can play spoilers to Arsenal’s title hopes.
Kick-off: 4:00 pm, Sunday 19 May 2024
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Last Time: Arsenal 4 – 0 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowksi, Branthwaite, Young, Gueye, Onana, Garner, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin