Everton host Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, as under-fire Ronald Koeman’s side go in search of their first win in three Premier League games.

The Blues suffered another defeat during mid-week, losing 2-1 at the hands of Lyon. Koeman’s side have not won since the late win over AFC Bournemouth at the end of September and are in crisis mode.

Thursday’s Europa League loss likely means their European campaign is over for another year and whilst they sit 15th in the Premier League table, they could find themselves in the bottom three by the end of the weekend with Koeman seemingly close to losing his job.

Arsène Wenger’s side are coming off a late 1-0 win over Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.

They’ll be much-changed from that late European win and are looking to get their Premier League campaign back on track following last week’s away defeat to Watford.

The last time the two sides met at Goodison Park, a late Ashley Williams winner was enough to give the Blues all three points.

Arsenal took the lead early after Alexis Sánchez’s free-kick was deflected off the Everton wall and skidded past Maarten Stekelenburg. Yet the Blues drew level right before half-time thanks to a Seamus Coleman header.

In focus: Expected defeats

In a statement sent to Jim White after the 1-0 defeat to Burnley, Farhad Moshiri stated the Blues had been unlucky but had expected defeats throughout their opening schedule.

The loss to Burnley was the “only unexpected loss” in the retrospective view of the Blues early start.

Whilst it is easy for some to write games against bigger sides - especially an away trip to Manchester United or a home game against Tottenham Hotspur - off as ‘expected defeats’, Everton fans expect victories and at least to see their side put in a performance worthy of a result.

As of yet, they’ve failed to do either with much regularity.

Koeman’s side have no clear identity, nor do they have a set system. This time last season, they had both. Granted, there have been plenty of new additions to the squad but a majority of those deals were done early and players had time to gel into a team and get used to their new surroundings.

It’s the big money buys that have failed to impress.

Plenty of criticism has gone the ways of Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez but in their defence, they’re still adapting to the Premier League and have yet to hit double digits in terms of domestic appearances.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, who has played in the Premier League since 2012, is yet to do anything. His patented set-pieces have fallen the way of every Everton set-piece specialist in terms that he fails to beat the first man from corners and free-kicks go high and wide with regularity.

The 28-year-old is playing out of position, reverting to the left-wing role he adopted during his move to Spurs.

He’s unable to influence games as he’s stuck out wide and not playing directly through the middle, dictating play like he did with Swansea City.

For Koeman, it’s not working and things ultimately have to changed. After all, if nothing changes, Everton may rack up plenty more ‘unexpected losses’.

A look at Arsenal

Wenger’s side sit sixth in the Premier League table, nine points behind leaders Manchester City after three league losses in eight games.

Last weekend’s 2-1 loss away at Watford was the Gunners first since their last trip to Merseyside when they comfortably beaten 4-0 by Liverpool.

As well noted, there is plenty of uncertainty and unrest at the Emirates Stadium but from the outside looking in, it doesn’t seem like it’s been the disastrous start to the season for the Gunners as some might have you believe.

Performances may not have been up to standard but results, for the most part, have seemingly been fine.

Whilst fans remain split over Wenger in or out, key players like Mesut Özil and Sánchez are seemingly planning for life after Arsenal - whether it be in January or after the World Cup in the summer window.

Despite recent results at Goodison Park, the French boss always sets his side up to cause the Blues trouble and usually gets the result he wants. It’s only when the home fans raise their voice and begin to get behind their team that the Gunners collapse and hand over the result.

Probable line-ups

Everton: Pickford, Martina, Jagielka, Keane, Williams, Baines, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Rooney, Calvert-Lewin.

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Holding, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Ramsey, Kolasinac, Özil, Sánchez, Lacazette.

Match stats

There has been a red card in three of the last four Premier League meetings between these two sides.

Everton have won two of their last four Premier League home games against Arsenal, drawing one and losing another.

The Gunners have already won more Premier League matches against Everton - 30 - than against any other opponent.

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About the author
Connor Bennett
Everton editor for VAVEL UK - contributing since 2015. Premier League accredited journalist. Journalism graduate from Liverpool. Writing about Football, eSports and the NFL. Email: [email protected] | Twitter: ConnorBennett14