Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Everton vs Watford in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
Team news
Everton forward Richarlison is available for selection for his side's Premier League game with Watford.
Richarlison has missed the last five matches in all competitions due to injury and his return is a welcome boost to manager Rafael Benitez, who expects Dominic Calvert-Lewin to be sidelined for another four or five weeks.
Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph have resumed training but Yerry Mina is ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury in training and Abdoulaye Doucoure is sidelined with a broken foot.
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Everton manager Rafael Benitez says striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be out of action for over a month after suffering a setback in his return from a thigh injury.
Watford's Joshua King could return to face his old club after he sat out the 5-0 thrashing against Liverpool with a knee injury.
The former Bournemouth attacker is yet to get off the mark for Watford since a summer switch but has provided two assists in five Premier League starts this season.
Hornets boss Claudio Ranieri will have to assess Kiko Femenia, who has a hip injury, but the Italian is still without Francisco Sierralta and Christian Kabasele (both hamstring) while Nicolas Nkoulou is building up match fitness. Peter Etebo will not play again this year following surgery on a torn quad muscle.
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Head coach Claudio Ranieri says he wants a 'true Watford' when his side visit Everton on Saturday after suffering a 5-0 defeat against Liverpool in his first game in charge.
How to follow
Follow Everton vs Watford in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel from 5.15pm on Saturday.
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We take a look at some of the key stats ahead of matchweek nine's fixtures in the Premier League. Including a huge derby between Manchester United and Liverpool.
Last time out...
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's win against Everton
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool's win over Watford
Opta stats
- Everton have never lost a home game to Watford in any competition (W13 D2) - it's the most they've ever faced a side at home without defeat in their history.
- Watford have won three of their last eight league games against Everton (D1 L4), more than they had in their first 18 such meetings with the Toffees (W2 D3 L13). However, they lost home and away against them in their last Premier League campaign of 2019-20.
- Everton have lost eight home league games so far in 2021, with the Toffees last losing more at Goodison Park in a calendar year in 2005 (9).
- Everton have lost five of their last eight home Premier League games against newly-promoted sides (W2 D1), including two of their three last season (v Leeds and Fulham). Indeed, since 2018-19, this is the most such defeats of any side, with Leicester City next on three.
- Watford have lost nine of their last 10 Premier League away games (W1), failing to score on seven occasions in that run.
- Watford's last six Premier League away wins have been against sides with an average position of 18th in the league table. The Hornets haven't won away against a side in the top half of the Premier League since December 2018 (2-0 vs West Ham), drawing two, losing 13 and conceding 41 goals in their 15 such games since.
- Watford have had fewer shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (76), while they also have the lowest expected goals total so far this term (6.1). 41% of the Hornets' xG this season came in one game against Norwich (2.5), which is the only game in which they've had an xG of more than one this term.
- This will be the seventh managerial meeting between Everton boss Rafa Benítez and Watford's Claudio Ranieri, and first since Newcastle drew 0-0 with Fulham in December 2018. Both men have overseen two wins each against the other (with two draws), most notably a 3-1 win for the Spaniard over the Italian in the Italian Super Cup back in 2010 (Inter 3-1 Roma).
- Both of Richarlison's two Premier League goals in this fixture have come at Goodison Park, netting firstly for Watford back in November 2017, before scoring against the Hornets for Everton in December 2018.
- Ismaila Sarr has had 26% of Watford's total shots in the Premier League this season (20/76), the highest ratio of any player in the competition so far this term.
Pete Smith is joined by Jamie Carragher, Michael Bridge and Oliver Yew to preview another bumper weekend of Premier League action.
PART 1 | Jamie Carragher's big Manchester United vs Liverpool preview
PART 2 | Michael Bridge on West Ham vs Spurs, and why Dele Alli may need a fresh start
PART 3 | Arsenal vs Aston Villa on Friday Night Football and Brighton vs Man City on Saturday Night Football: City look devastating again, Cole Palmer focus
