The Round 37 match-ups of the English Premier League are on the schedule from Friday when first two clashes will take place. With the end of this round, there is a high possibility that we could already know the name of the new champion and the clearer sight on the positions that lead to Championship and to the European competitions next year. Here, we have prepared for you the analysis of the match at Goodison Park between Everton FC and Watford FC so let’s take a closer look.
EVERTON FC vs. WATFORD FC
Three-Way: 1: Everton FC -200 Home; X: +384 Draw; Watford FC +700
Spread -1: Everton FC -132; Watford FC +129
Total +2.5: Over -133; Under +131
EVERTON FC
The Everton FC is going through a little crisis when it comes to results as they are coming off from two consecutive losses against Chelsea (0:3) and Swansea City (0:1). Team also failed to score in the last three match-ups while conceding four goals. Currently, they rank seventh in the English Premier league table with 58 points in 36 games and they will probably stay in that position considering that they have five points less than Arsenal FC that is ranked sixth and 13 points more than West Bromwich Albion that ranks eighth.
The Toffees are 3-2-3 in the last eight games and they are 3-0-1 in the last four home matches. They play very solid at home this season with a 12-4-2 overall record and 41-16 goal difference (60-41 overall) and they rank third in the home league table with 40 of 54 possible points earned (69% of their total points have been earned at home).
Everton scores 2.28 and concedes 0.89 goals per game at Goodison (1.67-1.14 overall) and 56% of their home matches had over 2.5 goals in total. 33% of their home games had over 3.5 goals but only 11% of the matches in front of their own crowd had over 4.5 goals in total (17% of the matches at Goodison had over 2.5 goals at halftime). Everton hasn’t conceded a goal in both halves at home this season and in 50% of their overall matches both teams scored.
Most common results at home are 1:1 draw (occurred four times) and 3:1, 4:0, 3:0 and 2:0 wins (all occurred two times) while most common score at halftime was a 0:0 draw (occurred six times).
Romelu Lukaku tops the team and the English Premier league this season with 24 goals while Ross Barkley, Seamus Coleman and Kevin Mirallas have four goals each in their accounts. Barkley, Mirallas and Lukaku also lead the team in assists with eight, seven and six (Barkley is seventh in the league in this segment) while passing segment belongs to Idrissa Gueye and Ashley Williams with 1572 and 1328 total passes. Goalkeepers Maarten Stekelenburg (19 appearances) and Joel Robles (18 appearances) collected 91 saves and they also have 12 games with clean sheets combined.
Yannick Bolasie (ACL Knee) is out for the season while Aaron Lennon (Medical condition) is also unavailable with unspecified date of return. James McCarthy (Hamstring) is expected to be out until at least May 12th and is listed as a major doubt along with Seamus Coleman (Broken leg) and Ramiro Funes Mori (Cartilage Knee) who have unspecified dates of return. Morgan Scheneiderlin (Thigh) is a slight doubt for Friday.
WATFORD FC
The Watford FC team is, just like their next opponents, in a little results crisis with three consecutive defeats in last three rounds against Hull City (0:2), Liverpool (0:1) and Leicester City (0:3) but they are pretty much set up when it comes to staying in the top English Premier league next season. They rank 15th with 40 points in 35 games, six points above the relegation line and they need only one point in last three match-ups to theoretically secure the survival in the English Premier League.
The Hornets are 3-0-5 in the last eight games and they’ve lost their five last away matches while also failing to score in each of those five games. Team is 3-3-11 on the road this season and they rank 14th in the road league table with 12 of 51 possible points earned. 70% of Watford’s points have been earned at home.
They managed to concede at least one goal in each of their last 12 away matches and total goal difference on the road is 12-34 (37-58 overall). Watford scores 0.71 and concedes 2.00 goals per game when visiting (1.06-1.66 overall) and 41% of their road matches had over 2.5 goals in total. 71% of their road games had under 3.5 goals while 88% of their away matches had under 4.5 goals in total.
In 47% of their road games Watford conceded at least one goal in both halves and in 49% of their total matches both teams scored. Most common result on the road is a 2:0 loss (occurred five times) while most common scores at the halftime were 1:0 and 0:0 (both occurred five times).
Troy Deeney leads the team in scoring this season with 10 goals while Etienne Capoue has six in his account. Deeney and Jose Holebas top the team in assists with four each while Capoue and Holebas also lead the team in passing segment with 1144 and 989 total passes. Heurelho Gomes (35 appearances) and Costel Pantilimon (two appearances) collected 106 saves and they have six games with clean sheets so far.
Ben Watson (Groin) is unavailable for the next game while Roberto Pereyra (Knee), Mauro Zarate (ACL Knee) and Younes Kaboul (Hamtring) are all listed as major doubts with unspecified dates of return. Craig Cathcart (Knee) and Miguel Britos (Calf) are expected to be out until at least May 12th but are also listed as major doubts while Jose Holebas (Foot) is a slight doubt for Friday.
Everton FC vs. Watford FC – Match Prediction
This is a match-up with not many implications for both teams, considering the league table order. Watford does need one more point in the last three matches to theoretically secure the survival but even if they lose this one, they are 99% in the English Premier League next season.
The hosts, are in my opinion, the favorite to win this game, but the -200 is way too high, so I don’t see any action there. However, I do like the 2.5 goals over, which is offered at -133. Namely, the two teams have combined for 3+ goals in 4 of their last five meetings, so I don’t see the trends changing come Friday. Also, there is a good chance that both teams could score at least one goal, which is offered at -102.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (-133)
Additional Pick: Both teams to score YES (-102)
