Everton will look to keep their five-match unbeaten run intact when they host Bournemouth at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Everton secured an emphatic win over Fulham last time out, and they will be looking to build on it when they face Bournemouth at home. While the Cherries did drop points last time out, they did put up a strong fight against Aston Villa, which will certainly give them some confidence.
The home team are eighth on the table with 37 points in their 25 outings. David Moyes’s men are only a couple of points behind sixth-placed Liverpool and certainly have a lot to play for in the second half of the season. While the Toffees are unbeaten in their last five league outings, they have only won two of those fixtures.
The Merseyside club are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over Fulham. A Vitaliy Mykolenko own-goal gave the Cottagers the lead, but Everton scripted a comeback in the final phase of the second half to secure all three points. They will certainly look to build on that result.
The visitors are 11th on the table with 34 points in their 25 outings. Just like the Toffees, even the Cherries have been unbeaten in their last five league games. They have managed to come out on top in three of those fixtures. Since they are only three points behind Everton, a win here could be a massive boost for their season as a whole.
Bournemouth secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at home last time out. They dominated the proceedings, created a lot of chances and eventually claimed a point against one of the most in-form teams in the division. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Everton
Everton will be without the services of Jack Grealish, who is expected to be on the sidelines for the rest of the season because of an ankle injury.
The Toffees will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Jordan Pickford will be in goal. Jake O’Brien and Vitaliy Mykolenko will take charge as the full-backs, while Michael Keane will start alongside James Tarkowski in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure they are the ones who dominate possession.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will take up the number ten role, while Iliman Ndiaye and Harrison Armstrong will feature on the flanks. The duo will provide width to their attacks and try to create chances for Thierno Barry, who will lead the line for Everton against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry
Bournemouth
The visitors might not have any fresh injury concerns, but they do remain without the services of Julio Soler (unspecified), Tyler Adams (knee), Marcus Tavernier (thigh), Justin Kluivert (knee), and Ben Gannon Doak (thigh).
Bournemouth will also line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Djordje Petrovic will take charge in goal. Alex Jimenez and Adrien Truffert are expected to feature as full-backs, while James Hill will pair up with Marcos Senesi in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Alex Scott and Lewis Cook will form the double pivot in the centre of the pitch. They will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
Rayan, who bagged the equaliser last time out, and Amine Adli will take charge on the flanks, while Eli Junior Kroupi will take up the number ten role. Finally, Evanilson will spearhead the Bournemouth attack against Everton.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Cook; Rayan, Kroupi, Adli; Evanilson
Key Stats
- Everton will be eyeing a historic double over Bournemouth, who are set for their first visit to the Hill-Dickinson Stadium.
- The Toffees won the reverse fixture 1-0; it was their first win over Cherries since October 2023.
- Both teams are unbeaten in their last five league games.
- Everton’s last five league goals have come in the second half, and the last four goals have come past the 75-minute mark.
- Bournemouth have only won two out of their 12 away games this term.
Player to Watch
Thierno Barry
After a slowish start to life at his new club, Barry has finally picked up the pace. While he struggled in the final third in the first half of the season, the 23-year-old has been a lot more consistent in the second half.
The former Villarreal star has four goals in his last seven league outings. Given the kind of form he has been in, David Moyes will be hoping the French striker helps them claim all three points against Bournemouth on Tuesday evening.
Prediction
Everton 2-1 Bournemouth
Everton’s strong second-half performances and recent home form could once again prove decisive in this contest. The Toffees have shown resilience and patience during their unbeaten run, often growing into games and punishing opponents late on.
Against a Bournemouth side that has struggled on the road, David Moyes’s men will back themselves to control key moments and make home advantage count. That said, the Cherries are unlikely to make things easy. They have been well-organised in recent weeks and possess enough quality in the final third to trouble the Toffees. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the home team.
