PREVIEW: Everton look to turn form around as they host Fulham | OneFootball

It could be a pivotal match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with both Everton and Fulham looking to create more ground between themselves and the relegation zone.

Hosts Everton have been in a poor run of form as of late, with one win in their last seven games and haven’t none away from home since August. Their poor away from has led to them slipping down the table to 14th place, and their second half performance away at Sunderland on Monday night raised further eyebrows around manager David Moyes’ selection and substitutions.

One of the main worries for his side will be the fitness of winger Iliman Ndiaye, who scored an incredible goal on Monday but was substituted off in the second half for what Moyes described as ‘cramp and one or two other bits’. The news will not be welcomed in the blue half of Merseyside, as Ndiaye has been sensational for Everton so far this season. If he is deemed fit, he will partner Jack Grealish on the opposite flank, with the pair being Everton’s main threat this season.

Fulham have also struggled as of late, almost sleepwalking into a relegation battle after Marco Silva’s side lost each of their last four games. Their victory over basement-boys Wolves helped ease some pressure, though they will be disappointed to continue to be without full back Antonee Robinson who has been sidelined since the end of September.

The Cottagers have had some serious injury issues through the last month or so but were able to welcome back multiple players including Joachim Andersen and striker Raúl Jiménez, who returned in the 72nd minute against his former club. Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon both impressed last time out for Fulham and their return to form could be the boost Silva’s side need in order to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

Everton are still light in defence: players such as Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson remain out for the foreseeable future as Moyes will once again have to deploy centre-half Jake O’Brien in the full back role. The selection headache will be his decision to either continue with Thierno Barry up front or switch him out for Beto. Neither striker has pulled up trees this season and Barry will be ruing his near impossible miss at the Stadium of Light on Monday, yet Beto has yet to score a goal either in the League this season.

A win for Everton could take them up to 11th in the table, whereas three points for Fulham could lift them up to 12th.

The game, kicking off at 15:00 on Saturday November 8, will not be broadcast live in the UK because of broadcasting rules and regulations.

Predicted line-ups

EVE: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

FUL: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Iwobi, Berge; Wilson, King, Kevin; Jiménez