Get the lowdown on Monday's home clash (ko 8pm)
GAMEWEEK 22 rolls around this weekend with the Barclays Premier League table taking shape as we continue to make our way through mid-season. This part of any campaign is always tough, and continues with Everton visiting the Hawthorns on Monday night (ko 8pm). Here, the guys over at football stats website WhoScored.com preview the clash.
Nicolas Anelka has scored eight Barclays Premier League goals against Everton and has only netted more against Blackburn in the competition (12).
Pepe Mel takes charge of his first game in charge of the Baggies, and faces no easy task with an impressive and difficult-to-beat Everton side coming to town, led by his compatriot Roberto Martínez.
Mel is by some distance the more experienced of the two, having enjoyed successful periods in charge of the likes of Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis in a managerial career spanning 15 years. Now, in his first post outside of Spain, he will be hoping to transfer the knowledge he has built up to England’s top flight.
A new head coach always brings excitement to a club, but that is not all that should favour the Baggies when the Merseysiders come to play.
Albion have the upper hand in recent clashes with the Toffees in the Midlands, winning four of the last six meetings between the sides, and keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories. They have only conceded three goals in their last six home games against Everton.
What is more, Martínez's team have won only four of their ten away games this season, scoring just 13 goals in the process. In losing to Sunderland recently they showed they are not as finished a product as many consider them to be.
A statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of the Toffees is 'aerial duels', and the Baggies certainly took advantage of that in this fixture last season, with Gareth McAuley striking up his deadly partnership with Chris Brunt once again, scoring the side's second goal with another unstoppable header. The two have combined on countless occasions over the years and will yet again be a threat come matchday.
WhoScored.com is a unique website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Provided with unique stats, they compile and create comprehensive analysis on the major European divisions, including live match stats and player ratings. Follow @WhoScored and their editor-in-chief @alitweedale on Twitter.
All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)
PLD | W | D | L | F | A | GD | |
HOME | 75 | 40 | 18 | 17 | 146 | 84 | 62 |
AWAY | 80 | 16 | 17 | 47 | 100 | 169 | -69 |
NEUTRAL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
TOTAL | 158 | 58 | 35 | 65 | 249 | 255 | -6 |
Interesting facts
Romelu Lukaku returns to The Hawthorns for the first time since scoring 17 goals for Albion on loan from Chelsea last season.
Albion have not won back to back Premier League games since March 2013.
The Toffees are unbeaten in their last six top-flight fixtures (W3 D3).
This game sees the Premier League's draw specialists meet at The Hawthorns. No-one has drawn more games than Albion (9) and Everton (8).
Last time out
HOME: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, September 1, 2012 - Albion 2 (Long 65, McAuley 82) Everton 0
AWAY: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, August 24, 2013 – Everton 0 Albion 0
Form guide (last six league matches)
ALBION: LDDDWL
EVERTON: WWLWDW
Last league match line-ups
EVERTON (v Norwich – home W 2-0): Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stone, Baines; McCarthy, Barry; Mirallas, Osman (Heitinga 69), Pienaar (Naismith 71); Lukaku. Subs not used: Robles (gk), Gueye, Oviedo, Hibbert, Vellios.
ALBION (v Southampton - away L 1-0): Foster; Reid, McAuley (Gera 80), Olsson, Ridgewell; Amalfitano (Vydra 86), Morrison, Mulumbu, Brunt; Anelka (Berahino 77); Long. Subs not used: Myhill (gk), Lugano, Sinclair, Yacob.
Everton team news
Aiden McGeady could make his Toffees debut. Ross Barkley (fractured toe) and Antolin Alcaraz are ruled out through injury. Sylvain Distin is fit for selection.
Ref watch
Michael Oliver will referee Monday’s game. The Northumberland official oversaw November's 2-2 draw with Villa at The Hawthorns. He has dished out 81 yellow and three red cards in 21 games this season.
Betting
Selected odds from Sky Bet:
Albion to win: 11/5
Everton to win: 6/5
Draw: 12/5
Saido Berahino to score first: 9/1
Romelu Lukaku to score first: 4/1
If you fancy a flutter with the club's official betting partner, click here.
Tickets
Tickets for this game remain on general sale. For more details, click here.
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