Sean Dyche is hoping Everton can find their clinical edge upon their return to Premier League action having been dumped out of the Carabao Cup in midweek by Southampton.
Everton were beaten on penalties by the Saints on Tuesday after seeing Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal cancelled out by Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
The Toffees ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.54 compared to Southampton’s 0.53, but could only manage four shots on target, the same as their opponents.
Taking opportunities in front of goal has been a persistent problem for Everton this season, with Dyche acknowledging his side must improve when they travel to face Leicester this weekend.
“Yet again we’ve created golden chances, and you’ve got to score those chances and that changes the whole game,” Dyche said.
“There’s been times we’ve scored goals and looked like we can score goals, but you’ve got to kill games off. If you’re not keeping clean sheets, you have to kill games off and we’ve not done that.
“That’s a nemesis for us. It’s been here a long time, and we’ve tried to correct it and tried to find those moments, but that’s the hardest bit as a manager.
“We’ve got in some amazing positions again tonight, with one on ones, but we haven’t scored a second goal. Obviously, the work continues.”
Leicester, meanwhile, had to settle for a point in their controversial 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace last time out as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty shared the spoils at Selhurst Park.
Foxes head coach Steve Cooper was left wanting answers from decision-makers at the Premier League following the award of Palace’s first goal, having seen it initially ruled out for offside, only for VAR to overturn the decision.
However, Cooper insisted he was pleased with his side’s display against the Eagles, saying his players must keep going in their quest to get their first three points on the board.
“There was so much good in the performance, particularly in the first half, but I'm not going to shout that from the rooftops because of obviously how we're feeling about the results,” Cooper said.
“We come up against a team who have invested over a number of years and put a team together and been in the Premier League for a long while.
“It's a pity that we conceded the goals in the way that we have because I don't think that really typified the mentality that we showed, but we have to own it, and we have to keep going. We have to stick together, be positive, and that's what we'll do.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leicester – Wilfried Ndidi
Ndidi has assisted three goals in his last two Premier League appearances for Leicester, as many as he had in his previous 62 games combined in the top-flight.
He is only the second Foxes player to assist three goals in their opening four Premier League games in a season, along with Marc Albrighton in their title-winning campaign of 2015-16.
Everton – Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin has scored in 14 Premier League defeats for Everton, including in his last two games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
That’s the most games scored in and lost for the Toffees in the competition, one ahead of Duncan Ferguson who lost 13 times when scoring for Everton.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Both sides head into the encounter at the King Power Stadium in search of their first three points of the season, but Leicester have struggled against the Toffees of late.
The Foxes have won just one of their last seven Premier League meetings with Everton (D3 L3), a 2-0 away win in November 2022.
And for only a fourth time, Leicester have failed to win any of their first four Premier League games in a season (D2 L2) – in all three previous seasons in which they’ve won none of their first four, they were relegated, in 1994-95, 2003-04 and 2022-23.
However, Everton failed to win any of their first five league games in both 2022-23 (D3 L2) and 2023-24 (D1 L4). In Premier League history, the only team to fail to win any of their opening five games in three consecutive seasons is Sunderland, who did so in four in a row between 2013-14 and 2016-17.
Dyche’s side have been 2-0 up in each of their last two Premier League matches but gone on to lose both 3-2 against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, becoming just the second team in Premier League history to lose consecutive games from 2+ goals ahead, after the Cherries in November 2022. No team has ever failed to win in three games in a row when leading by two or more goals.
But 16 of the 34 Premier League meetings between Leicester and Everton have been drawn, the highest percentage for any fixture to have been played 30+ times in the competition (47%).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Leicester – 38.5%
Draw – 26.3%
Everton – 35.2%
Howe enjoying selection headache after impressive season start
Eddie Howe insisted he is enjoying the selection headache his Newcastle players have presented him after coming from behind against Wolves last time out.
Two goals in five minutes from Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes moved the Magpies up to third in the early-season standings as they aim to return to the Champions League this season.
With Newcastle struggling with injuries for much of last season, Howe said that despite the difficulty of the decisions he has to make every week, it is part of being a head coach in the Premier League.
"Those are the headaches you want. Leaving Harvey out and other players in this game was very, very difficult but it what you're paid to do,” Howe said.
“All you want then is when the player enters the pitch to try and prove that he should try and start the next game.
"The fixture list is never easy, every game in the Premier League is always difficult. Four points from Wolves and Bournemouth is good and we go away to Fulham next."
Fulham, meanwhile, suffered a shock midweek exit in the Carabao Cup to Championship side Preston North End at Deepdale.
The Cottagers were beaten on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time, eventually being dumped out of the competition in unusual fashion, losing 16-15 after Timothy Castagne saw his penalty saved, with Ryan Ledson sending North End through.
Head coach Marco Silva was left ruing his sides missed opportunities during the encounter, and is hoping his players can find their clinical edge against the high-flying Magpies this weekend.
"I'm sure that we did enough during the 95 minutes to win the game," Silva told reporters after the 34-kick shootout.
"From the first minute, we took control of the game and I think we created enough chances... the crossbar, a lot of crosses, a lot of moments where we should've scored."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Emile Smith-Rowe
Smith Rowe has made a positive start to his Fulham career, netting his second goal involvement since his move from Arsenal with his assist for Raul Jiminez’s goal against West Ham.
The 24-year-old also boasts an impressive record against the Magpies, winning four of the five games he has played against them (L1), scoring once.
Newcastle – Harvey Barnes
Barnes has either scored (two) or assisted (one) a goal in each of his last three Premier League appearances for Newcastle.
Only in January 2021 at Leicester has he registered a goal involvement in four consecutive games in the competition before.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Newcastle have enjoyed their recent visits to Craven Cottage, winning each of their last four away league games against Fulham, having previously lost six in a row before this.
The Magpies also boast an expected goals (xG) against total of 6.5 in the Premier League this season, but have conceded just three goals, with their difference of 3.5 between goals conceded and xG against the best in the division so far.
With 10 points (W3 D1), this is Newcastle’s best start to a Premier League campaign after four games since 1995-96 under Kevin Keegan (12 points) – the Magpies haven’t gone unbeaten in their opening five top-flight matches since 2011-12 under Alan Pardew (W2 D3).
Fulham, meanwhile, are winless in their last eight Premier League meetings with Newcastle (D2 L6), losing each of the last five in a row.
Silva’s side have also struggled on home soil, having won just one of their last six Premier League home games (D2 L3), having won four of their previous six at Craven Cottage (D1 L1).
While Opta’s data-led simulations expected a draw between the two sides, none of Fulham’s 16 Premier League home games against Newcastle have finished level, with the Cottagers winning nine and losing seven. The only exact fixture to be played more without being drawn in the competition’s history is Everton v Fulham at Goodison Park (17).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 34.7%
Draw – 25.7%
Newcastle – 39.7%
Slot hoping to capitalise on new-found weapon upon Premier League return
Arne Slot aims to utilise the set-pieces that proved fruitful in his first Champions League game in charge of Liverpool when they welcome Bournemouth to Anfield this weekend.
Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk netted headers from corner kicks in the Reds’ 3-1 win over Milan in midweek, bouncing back from their shock defeat to Nottingham Forest last Saturday.
Liverpool’s loss to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side marked the first of Slot’s era since taking over from Jurgen Klopp, but the Dutch head coach is confident that the Red’s new-found weapon can punish the Cherries and get their Premier League campaign back on track.
“I don't look at the other team, I always look at my own team,” Slot said.
“I think we were a bit disappointed with the result against Nottingham Forest, [but] we were also disappointed from getting eight corner kicks and not scoring, but we were very close.
“I think [it was] two very good set-pieces and two very good headers that got us two goals, which was important because I think we were very comfortable on the ball, pressed well, but in the end, you need goals as well.”
Bournemouth, meanwhile, were on the end of a late defeat to Chelsea in their last Premier League fixture as Christopher Nkunku came off the bench to score for the visitors.
The Cherries had the opportunity to take the lead against Enzo Maresca’s side from the spot, only for £40million record signing Evanilson to see his spot-kick saved by Robert Sanchez.
In his first three league games, Evanilson has failed to score with his seven shots on goal, but head coach Andoni Iraola is confident the Brazilian will soon find his feet in England.
"I will not value his performance because he has scored. He has had a lot of chances. He created the penalty, and he has been very good," Iraola said.
“He wants to score for sure, but I will not focus on this. I am very happy with his performance.
"It's football. We played at home against Newcastle and Chelsea with two very good games, and we have one point. We played very well, had more chances, pushed them and you have to punish them, and we didn't.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah
Salah has enjoyed previous meetings against Bournemouth, netting nine goals in nine Premier League appearances against them.
Should he score against the Cherries this weekend, it will be the fourth team he has reached double figures against in the competition (after Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham).
It would also make the Egyptian the sixth player to score 10+ goals against four different opponents after Alan Shearer (12), Wayne Rooney (seven), Harry Kane (six), Andrew Cole (six) and Thierry Henry (four).
Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo
Semenyo has started the campaign in fine form for Bournemouth, recording three goal involvements (two goals and one assist) in his first four Premier League games.
The Ghana international also has previous at Anfield, having scored in the third minute of the Cherries’ 3-1 defeat on Merseyside at the start of last season.
MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN
Liverpool come into the encounter as the overwhelming favourites to return to winning ways in the Premier League, having won nine of their last 10 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, with the exception being a 1-0 away defeat in March 2023.
However, the Reds have now lost two of their last five Premier League home games (W3), having lost just one of their previous 58 at Anfield. They’re looking to avoid consecutive home league defeats for the first time since March 2021 (a run of six).
But no side has faced fewer shots (28) or conceded fewer goals (one) than Liverpool in the Premier League this season, while the Reds also have the lowest expected goals (xG) against (2.8) and fewest shots on target faced (10).
The Cherries have struggled on Merseyside in recent years, losing nine of their 10 away games against Liverpool in all competitions, with the exception being a 2-2 draw in the Premier League in April 2017.
Bournemouth have also only won two of their 29 Premier League away games against teams starting the day in the top four, losing 25 of those matches (D2) – the exceptions are wins at Stamford Bridge over Chelsea, 3-0 in January 2018 and 1-0 in December 2019.
But Iraola’s side have shown signs of their attacking improvement. Only Brighton (67) and Manchester City (66) have had more shots than Bournemouth (65) in the Premier League this season, with the Cherries’ average of 16.3 per game their highest in a single top-flight campaign.
OPTA WIN PROBABILTY
Liverpool – 69.7%
Draw – 16.9%
Bournemouth – 13.4%
Rashford hopes to carry cup momentum forward at Crystal Palace
Marcus Rashford is hopeful Manchester United can build on their dominant EFL Cup success over Barnsley when they go to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, highlighting the importance of their attackers building positive relationships.
Rashford scored twice as United routed the third-tier side 7-0 at Old Trafford, reaching the fourth round of a competition they won in Ten Hag's first season at the helm in 2022-23.
On Saturday, they return to the scene of one of their most humiliating defeats under the Dutchman, facing a Crystal Palace side that thrashed them 4-0 in May.
Rashford – who also opened his Premier League account for the season in last week's 3-0 victory at Southampton – believes the confidence garnered from United's midweek win could take them far.
"It's important to have those relationships on the pitch but I think as a front unit, linking with the midfield, we did very well," Rashford told Sky Sports.
"Before the first goal, it was a little difficult but after the first one, we found better spaces and we probably made better decisions in order to score."
Asked if the goals would now start to flow for him, Rashford said: "It's early to say but I hope so. We'll move onto the next game now and just rest, recover and focus on the next one.
"Football is football, sometimes you have ups and sometimes you have downs. We have to use these games to find momentum and find consistency."
Palace, meanwhile, are 16th in the table with two points from four matches, though they did earn a 2-1 EFL Cup win at Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
Having netted on his return to his former club, attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze said: "Of course, to come back here and to score is a great feeling.
"That was the main thing as to what we wanted to come here and do: win, go through to the next round, and put in a performance.
"It's a difficult place to come. You can see the atmosphere, it's not easy to play under, but we did what we needed to do, and that's the most important thing."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta
Since Glasner's first game in charge in February, only Erling Haaland (19) has scored more Premier League goals than Mateta (15 in 17 games), including a goal in May's 4-0 rout of the Red Devils.
In that time, he has also scored multiple goals on four occasions (three braces, one hat-trick) – only Wilfried Zaha has ever scored more than once in more different Premier League games for the Eagles (six braces).
Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes
United captain Fernandes has had more shots without scoring than any other player in the Premier League so far this season (13).
Overall, United have the third-highest expected goals total in the Premier League this term (7.9 xG) but have scored five goals, with only Southampton (4.6 xG, one goal) registering a worse underperformance. They will hope Fernandes can lead from the front here.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Glasner's Palace beat United 4-0 in the Premier League last season – only eight managers have ever won their first two games against the Red Devils in the competition, most recently Roberto De Zerbi with Brighton in September 2023.
That victory was part of a Premier League double by the Eagles, the first time they have ever beaten United in consecutive league matches.
United have now lost two of their last three away league games against Palace (one draw), having gone unbeaten through their previous 13 such visits to Selhurst Park, winning nine and drawing four.
The Red Devils have struggled in London more generally under Ten Hag, only winning two of their last 16 away Premier League games in the capital (four draws, 10 defeats), with both victories coming at Fulham (2-1 in November 2022, 1-0 in November 2023).
With Palace winless in the Premier League so far this season (two draws, two defeats) after ending 2023-24 with six victories in their final seven games (one draw), it may not be a surprise to see the spoils shared.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Crystal Palace – 35.9%
Manchester United – 39.1%
Draw – 25%
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