Everton fans will be looking to Saturday’s clash with Sunderland as a home banker as the Toffees bid to end a run of four successive draws in the Premier League.
David Moyes’ team are 1/2 favourites in Paddy Power’s online betting to win in his 400th League game in charge while the Black Cats are 6/1 with the draw trading at 3/1.
The Toffees will have been boosted by the news that midfielder Darron Gibson is back in light training but is unlikely to figure this weekend.
Martin O’Neill’s side haven’t won a league game at Goodison Park since 1996 but of more concern to their supporters is that they couldn’t hit a bull on the arse with a banjo in front of goal at the moment.
The Black Cats haven’t scored in three of their last four Premier League games (two at home) conceding four and are 5/1 to keep a clean sheet against the side that sit fourth in the Premier League.
Sunderland have managed just 12 shots on target in the Premier League this season while Everton have had 200 – putting them up with the leading shot takers in Europe’s big-five leagues.
Everton fans would love to play the Wearsiders every week as they have won their last five league games at home against them scoring 18 and conceding just one (7-1 in 2007) in the process.
The home side ran out convincing 4-0 winner’s in the corresponding fixture last April with Magaye Gueye, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe all scoring in a second-half goalfest.
Paddy Power offer 19/1 that the Toffees can run up a similar score line at Fortress Goodison at the weekend while the online bookmaker make it 13/10 that the home side win to nil while the blue half of Merseyside to win both halves is 11/4.
Anichebe heads the list at 11/1 of last season’s scorers in this fixture to repeat the trick at the weekend with Gueye 17/1, Osman 17/1 and Pienaar 20/1 also quoted.
Everton haven’t failed to score in any Barclays Premier League game since the season started and are 4/9 to score first in Paddy Power’s team to score first market.
The Toffees have won widespread praise for playing with skill and flair this season but have also shown guts and determination as they’ve conceded first in their last five games but haven’t lost any of them.
For Everton to come from behind and win is 17/2 in Paddy Power’s online betting.