Everton vs West Ham United; Premier League
Everton vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Goodison ParkAttendance39,000.
Everton 2
- R Lukaku (13th minute)
- K Mirallas (sent off 34th minute)
- A Lennon (56th minute)
West Ham United 3
- M Antonio (78th minute)
- D Sakho (81st minute)
- D Payet (90th minute)
Everton v West Ham preview: Leighton Baines set to be fit despite ankle problem
Saturday 5 March 2016 15:03, UK
Everton could have a problem at left-back against West Ham, with Leighton Baines set to see a specialist about pain in his ankle, while Bryan Oviedo is being assessed after a knock.
Roberto Martinez still expects Baines to be available for Saturday's Premier League visit of the Hammers to Goodison Park, but the England defender hasn't started a game since the end of January.
The Toffees are targeting back-to-back league wins for just the second time this season, having seen off Aston Villa in midweek.
West Ham, meanwhile, have won both their games this week by 1-0, with Michail Antonio netting both winners, and could go as high as fourth in the table if results go their way this weekend.
Team news
Oviedo is being assessed after sustaining a knock in Tuesday's 3-1 win at Aston Villa, and he could be replaced at left-back by Baines despite his own injury problem.
Midfielder Tom Cleverley, who missed that match due to illness, will also be assessed ahead of the game, while Muhamed Besic and Darron Gibson could make their returns to action.
West Ham defender James Collins is set to miss the next three matches with a hamstring problem, starting with Saturday. Collins underwent a scan on the injury sustained in the 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday and while the results have yet to be confirmed, he is unlikely to appear again until after the next international break.
Apart from Collins, all the players present in the squad for Spurs will be travelling to Goodison with Victor Moses, Winston Reid (hamstring), Joey O'Brien (hamstring), James Tomkins (calf), Enner Valencia (ankle) and Sam Bryam (suspended) still out.
Opta stats
Romelu Lukaku has scored in all seven appearances for Everton against West Ham in all competitions.
Everton have won 10 and lost none of the last 15 Premier League matches against West Ham.
Everton have scored in every single match in that 15-game run while the Hammers have only failed to score in three of the matches.
The Toffees have beaten the Hammers 22 times in the Premier League, more often than they have defeated any other opponent.
Everton have won just four of their last 16 Premier League matches at Goodison Park (W4 D4 L8).
West Ham have won just one of their last nine Premier League away matches (W1 D4 L4).
Lukaku has now scored 17 Premier League goals this season, equalling his best ever tally in 2012/13 (at West Bromwich Albion).
Aaron Lennon has found the net in four of his last six Premier League games and has never lost a Premier League game that he's scored in (31 games, 27 wins, four draws).
Merson's prediction
West Ham have now put themselves in with a shout of the top four. Two weeks ago you would have been thinking that West Ham and Everton have both got the FA Cup to play for, which would have made this game at Goodison Park a 'make sure no one gets injured' job.
But now West Ham have got a chance of getting in the top four, and so this has become a massive game for them. Everton have got Chelsea in the cup next weekend, but I think they are are a good team and at home they can beat anybody, even a strong side going well like West Ham.
Paul predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet Odds 7/1)
Betting
Everton are 8/11 with Sky Bet ahead of their weekend clash with West Ham, who should be full of confidence after beating London rivals Spurs in midweek and can be backed at 19/5 for another surprise success. The Toffees have been involved in several high-scoring games this term and it's 7/4 four or more goals are scored at Goodison Park.