Everton will begin another Premier League season at home to Southampton this afternoon. Both sides are looking to start the year off with a bang
This match will kick-off at 15:00 today, 14th August in Goodison Park.
Everton will be playing their first game at home in front of a full stadium of fans in nearly a year and a half. The club had a very tumultuous start to the transfer window, losing their well-respected manager Carlo Ancelotti on short notice to Real Madrid.
Now the club looks ready for another attempt at finishing top 10 with a new head coach Rafael Benitez and new signings, Demarai Gray, Andros Townsend and Joshua King.
Southampton have had a similar transfer window as they lost their main attacking threat, Danny Ings to Aston Villa.
The signings they have made so far do not seem like great replacements with Chelsea youngsters and Championship stalwarts some of their signings.
Neither of these sides will make a valuable challenge for the European places and in the Saints case, they may be fighting to stay up this year.
🔵 𝐖𝟑 𝐃𝟔 🔵@Everton haven’t lost their opening match in any of the last nine #PL campaigns since a 0-1 loss against QPR in 2011/12#EVESOU pic.twitter.com/HhS4h9Jlzl
— Premier League (@premierleague) August 14, 2021
Predicted Starting 11
Everton
Formation
4-2-3-1
Starting Team
Pickford (GK), Digne, Keane, Godfrey, Coleman, Doucouré, Allan, Iwobi, Rodriguez, Townsend, Calvert-Lewin
Injuries
Gomes, Branthwaite, Gbamin, Kean
Southampton
Formation
4-4-2
Starting Team
Forster (GK), Perraud, Salisu, Bednarek, Walker-Pieter, Redmond, Romeu, Armstrong, Walcott, Tella, Adams
Injuries
Smallbone
Southampton's 2020/21 Premier League season by numbers:
◎ Position: 15th
◎ 12 wins
◎ 7 draws
◎ 19 defeats
◎ 47 goals scored
◎ 68 goals conceded
◎ Most goals: Danny Ings (12)
◎ Most assists: James-Ward Prowse (7)Where will they finish in the 2021/22 season? pic.twitter.com/CGBMleVZT1
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 11, 2021
Betting
Everton are favourites with odds of 21/20 to win.
A Draw has odds of 11/5.
Southampton are the underdogs with odds of winning at 11/4.
Score Prediction
This is a transition period for Southampton who are starting the league without their talismanic striker, Danny Ings. With 34 goals in his last two seasons, it is hard to see the Saints replacing him with Che Adams and Nathan Tella.
Everton with Benitez will be full of vigor to impress their manager. Expect Everton to win this match 3-0.
Season 2021/22 Let’s go!!! @Everton pic.twitter.com/grnfQBzTTP
— Andros Townsend (@andros_townsend) August 13, 2021
