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Sunday 4.30pm – Crystal Palace v Everton
Watch on Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Premier League
Draw
Everton secured a much-needed win over Arsenal on Monday night, but they have a long way to go before they are out of this slump. Rafa Benitez’s side endured an absolutely atrocious run of form prior to that Arsenal win, picking up just two points in an eight-game spell that stretched back to September.
Their come-from-behind win against the Gunners stopped the rot, but they face a tricky festive fixture list starting with a trip to Selhurst Park on Sunday. Palace rightfully earned plaudits earlier in the season for overhauling the outdated football they once played under Roy Hodgson, but things have gone a little stale for Patrick Vieira since he masterminded a 2-0 win at the Etihad at the end of October.
Palace beat Wolves 2-0 in the game immediately following that City win, but have now failed to win any of their last four – picking up just one point in the process. Three of their five Premier League defeats this season have come in their last three league outings and they need to arrest this downward spiral as quickly as possible.
Those three games notwithstanding, The Eagles have proved difficult to beat this season, especially at home where they have gone down just once. They have found it even more difficult to win, however, and boast just three wins from 15 games. This game has a draw written all over it.
Both Teams To Score
Everton have struggled all over the pitch this season, but their failings have the most apparent at the back. Benitez, renowned for his defensive solidity as a coach, has overseen just three league clean sheets this term and has only won once in Everton’s last nine games. Only four clubs have conceded more goals than the Toffees this season and it is unlikely that they will make it four clean sheets in 16 games against a Palace side that averages more than one goal a game in the league.
Vieira’s men have only drawn a blank in one home game this season and have scored in their last six outings at Selhurst Park. However, they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four games and have only managed four all season. They have conceded two goals or more on seven occasions this campaign, and it appears unlikely that they can contain an Everton attack that maybe, just maybe, rediscovered its groove against Arsenal last time out.
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Seamus Coleman To Be Carded
It has been a season to forget for the Everton captain, especially in recent weeks. Seamus Coleman bore the brunt of Everton fans’ criticism as the club slipped irreversibly down the Premier League table, and it has become increasingly apparent that he may not up to the standard expected of a top-flight full-back anymore.
He has only been booked twice this season, but faces a lively Palace attack including Wilfried Zaha, Conor Gallagher and Jordan Ayew – who are all among the most fouled players in the league so far this season.
Zaha actually tops that list, and is sinned against on average of three times per game. Meanwhile, Ayew is the eighth-most fouled player in the division and draws two fouls per game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Coleman enter the referee’s notebook on Sunday.
Christian Benteke To Have Two Or More Shots On Target
Christian Benteke has rediscovered his form in recent months, earning himself a re-call to the Belgian national team. The forward has only scored four goals this season though, but it is not for want of trying. Benteke has attempted 31 shots so far this term, at an average of two per game. He finds the target with more than 40% of his efforts and is roughly averaging one shot on target per league outing so far.
He is coming up against an Everton side that has faced 187 shots in 15 league games to date, that’s an average of more than 12 per game and Benteke should at least match his two shots per game average. There is every chance that he will test Jordan Pickford on at least two occasions.
Crystal Palace v Everton tips:
Draw
Both Teams To Score
Seamus Coleman To Be Carded
Christian Benteke To Have Two Or More Shots On Target
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Sunday football tips
- Premier league tips: Paddy’s betting guide to this weekend’s fixtures
- Football tips: Our tasty 8/1 treble for Sunday’s Premier League games
- Thommo: a 13/2 punt heads my best Sunday Premier League tips