Brighton v Everton preview: Ronald Koeman's side looking to get back to winning ways
Sunday 15 October 2017 13:27, UK
Everton will be looking to bounce back from a shock defeat to Burnley with victory over hosts Brighton on Sunday.
It has been a disappointing start to the season for Everton, who have won just twice in the Premier League all season despite a club record summer of spending.
The pressure is on Everton boss Ronald Koeman following their 1-0 defeat to Burnley on Super Sunday before the international break as Jeff Hendrick netted the winner. The Merseyside club will be desperate to get a victory over Brighton, who are also on seven points.
Brighton slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the start of the month, so Chris Hughton's men will also be looking to set the record straight and build on their last two home wins in the league against Newcastle and West Brom.
Team news
Koeman has a decision to make in defence for Sunday's trip. Phil Jagielka (hamstring) is fit again after missing nearly a month and could replace Ashley Williams, whose shaky form continued with a crucial mistake for Wales on Monday.
James McCarthy will make his return from a knee injury for the U23s on Tuesday while Seamus Coleman, Ramiro Funes Mori, Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon and Yannick Bolasie are also sidelined.
Davy Propper (hip) and Glenn Murray (ankle) will be fit and available for Brighton at the Amex Stadium, but Tomer Hemed will serve the second of a three-match suspension and will not feature.
Other absentees will include Steve Sidwell, who is recovering from back surgery, Sam Baldock, who is carrying a calf injury, and Beram Kayal as he continues to recover from a broken leg.
Opta stats
Brighton have picked up just one win from their eight league meetings with Everton (W1 D3 L4). The Seagulls won 3-1 in February 1982, with goals from Tony Grealish, Gerry Ryan and Steve Foster securing the points that day.
Everton have lost just one of their last 19 Premier League games against newly-promoted teams (W10 D8 L1), with that solitary defeat coming at the hands of Burnley in October 2016.
The Toffees have scored just six goals in their last 12 matches in the Premier League, failing to score on seven occasions.
Ronald Koeman has won just 18.2% of his Premier League away games in charge of Everton (P22 W4 D7 L11), compared to winning 36.8% on the road while at Southampton (P38 W14 D8 L16).
Pascal Gross has covered 82.1km so far this season, the third-highest total in the Premier League behind Burnley's Jack Cork (85.1km) and Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure (83.4km).
Since the start of last season, Everton's Idrissa Gueye has made more tackles (161) than any other player in the Premier League.
Paul Merson's prediction
I am not sure Everton players know what they are doing. I just think Ronald Koeman has to let the reins go and tell them to go out and play and express themselves. It looks nervy and nobody looks like they want to take a chance. They are struggling and don't look like they are together.
Koeman is under massive pressure. At the start of the season we were talking about them finishing seventh, maybe sixth, but at the moment that is a distance off after spending a lot of money in the summer.
I think Brighton will win this one.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
