The first day of the year is a working day in the Premier League. Three matches are scheduled for the 1st of January 2019 and one that seems the most interesting is the one that’s going to take place at the Goodison Park. Everton are taking on Leicester City, in a match that’s guaranteed to bring a lot of excitement to the viewers. And if you want your year to start with winning bets, make sure to read our Everton vs Leicester City prediction and betting tips!
Everton
The Toffees have big ambitions this season, which seem pretty justified. First of all, they have some really good players in the squad. And I’m not talking only about their first XI. Actually, I believe that their biggest strength comes from the fact that Everton have a very long bench, so even if injury problems occur, they can handle them.
Speaking of injuries, Everton did have a lot of them just a few months earlier. Now, their players seem fit and ready to give their utmost in the second half of the season. But, it’s not just about the players; they need someone to lead them to glory. And their manager Marco Silva certainly looks like the right man for the job.
His side did lose a couple of games unexpectedly, but they always seem to find a way to bounce back on the right track. Let’s take for example their 6:2 loss to Tottenham. Instead of drowning in despair, they bounced back with a 5:1 victory over Burnley.
It seems that this team is still learning on how to take advantage of their strengths and conceal their weaknesses. And it seems they’re on the right track. But, does that mean they can beat such tough side as Leicester City?
Leicester City
Recently, the Foxes have become true giant-slayers. First, they beat Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge, then they won against Man City at home, coming back in the game after being 1:0 down. Sure, Everton aren’t as good as those two teams, but this doesn’t mean Leicester will have an easy time on Tuesday.
Actually, it seems that their match is going to be a real tough one. If you take a look at their head-to-head stats, you will see that Everton have a much better score. And it’s not just the matches that happened years ago when Leicester were in the limbo between Premier League and lower leagues. I’m also talking about the matches that happened in a previous couple of seasons.
What’s giving Leicester fans a lot of hope ahead of this duel is that their players have been playing very well away from home. With no pressure on them to go out and attack, they can play their own game, which involves defending meticulously and looking for chances from counter-attacks and set-pieces. I’m sure their plan for Everton game is basically the same.
Team News
Everton absentees:
- James McCarthy (doubtful)
Leicester absentees:
- Daniel Amartey (injury)
- Matty James (doubtful)
Possible Lineups
Everton
Pickford – Zouma, Keane, Coleman, Digne – Gueye, Andre Gomes, Sigurdsson – Walcott, Bernard, Richarlison
Leicester
Schmeichel – Maguire, Morgan, Pereira, Chilwell – Ndidi, Mendy, Maddison, Albrighton – Iheanacho, Vardy
Everton vs Leicester City Prediction
Considering that Everton have been scoring a lot lately (and allowing), I expect them to play very offensively in this game. Of course, this means that Leicester will defend for most of the time. But, it also means the Foxes will get their chances from counter-attacks. And this means we should see some goals on both ends, according to betting site around the globe.
Everton vs Leicester City Betting Tips
- BTS @1.80 (bet365)
- Over 2.5 Goals @2.00 (bet365)