Everton preview

Having confirmed Premier League safety last weekend, we can only look up now. A place in next year's Europa League is just possible, depending on an unlikely coincidence of results in our favour. Such a sequence must start with at least a point today.

I really can't see it. The fact that Everton are much better than us, combined with our appalling away form, and the absence of key players (Zabaleta, Wright-Phillips, Bellamy) means that anything other than a defeat looks unlikely. And Everton score lots of goals from set pieces, and we suck at defending set pieces.

Providing Nigel de Jong passes a fitness test today, and Micah Richards is forgiven for yesterday's events, the team should look like this: UPDATE This is the team.


I suppose it's possible Valeri Bozhinov will start ahead of Felipe Caicedo up front, providing he's sufficiently fit. And Shaleum Logan is an option at right back if Richards has not been forgiven for yesterday's spat.

But I'm not too hopeful. I'm going to predict a very drab 2-0 win for Everton.