Louis van Gaal’s side put themselves back in the Champions League race with a 1-0 win over Manchester City last time out, but they will host an Everton team that have only lost once on their travels in the league this season
Browsing: Everton
Last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City may have been yet another couple of points dropped at home in the league – Hiddink has won one and drawn five of his six league games at Stamford Bridge since taking over – but it also saw him become the first manager to go 12 Premier League games unbeaten at the start of their tenure
“I feel that the squad is in a very good moment. We’ve been very consistent the last six games. We’re enjoying our football and playing with a lot of confidence,” the boss said following Tuesday’s 3-1 win away at hapless Aston Villa
As mentioned, the Midlands club have won just three of their 27 Premier League games and considering that they are eight points adrift of safety, it is difficult to see a way back for Remi Garde’s side
The only remaining Championship side in the competition, Brian McDermott’s Reading, are rewarded for their victory over West Bromwich Albion with a home tie against Crystal Palace
The last of those came at home to Stoke City last weekend, which dropped the club into 15th position. As it stands, Howe’s team are four points outside of the relegation places and very much in the battle to escape the drop this term
The result has moved the Merseyside outfit up to 11th in the Premier League table, and it was a debut to forget for Andros Townsend as Newcastle remain in the relegation zone, two points off safety
The Spain international was taken to hospital after the match at Stamford Bridge having been forced to limp off with 10 minutes remaining
The Blues twice squandered the lead as a pair of cracking strikes from Craig Gardner and James McClean saw West Brom take a point back to the West Midlands
The veteran American stopper has received a host of criticism for his performances between the posts this term, but he produced a string of saves on this occasion to deny City, who boast the best home record in the Premier League
Nine points separate the two sides in the table at the halfway stage, but victory for either would be a big step in the right direction towards their respective goals
The visitors went into the match with only seven away goals to their name all season, but it was they who threatened first when Arnautovic flashed an effort wide of the far post when played through by Bojan Krkic
Steve McClaren happily admitted that he would have taken seven points out of nine from the club’s last three matches against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, but that did not make last weekend’s 1-1 draw against bottom club Aston Villa any less frustrating
The Toffees go into the game sitting in mid-table, but victory could see them climb as high as fifth depending on results elsewhere.
Everton may be sitting down in what is, on paper at least, a disappointing 10th place, but there is a buzz of excitement around the club as they move towards the end of 2015
The 1-1 draw with Arsenal two weeks ago was exactly what the Norwich fans were expecting from their side this season as they fought impressively and showed resilience to earn a point, but the 2-0 defeat away to Watford brought the team crashing back to earth
Although some promising early ventures forward broke down in the final third, Everton were always the more likely to find the breakthrough and it arrived after 17 minutes when a fine passing move ended with Brad Guzan only parrying Gerard Deulofeu’s low effort and Barkley was on hand to turn home the rebound
Less than a minute after Gerard Deulofeu’s low shot was saved by Adrian, Lanzini capitalised as Everton failed to clear a cross and the winger directed the ball into the top corner from inside the area to put West Ham 1-0 up
West Ham’s seven-match unbeaten run came to a halt last weekend as the Hammers were beaten 2-0 at Vicarage Road against Watford, leaving them sixth in the table, level on points with fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have a stronger goal difference
Arsenal won the ball back immediately after the restart, driving up the pitch before Alexis Sanchez was felled by Seamus Coleman just outside the left-hand edge of Everton’s box
In recent seasons, it has become the norm for Arsene Wenger’s side to qualify for the Champions League and perhaps pick up a domestic trophy, but they have not been serious title contenders since their last triumph in the 2003-04 season