It’s matchday 16 of the Premier League as the players will play their last match for their respective clubs before joining their national teams ahead of the one month long FIFA World Cup break scheduled to begin next weekend. The festive season of football is close as the biggest tournament in the world is set to resume in Qatar. Before it begins, the teams will want to end the first half of the season with a win as Bournemouth are hosts to Everton at the Vitality Stadium.
Both the teams head into the fixture having played on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup 3rd round game which ended in a thumping 4-1 win for the Cherries at home. The hosts are 14th in the league just a point off the relegation zone having suffered 4 consecutive losses in a row. Lampard’s Everton meanwhile 16th just a point above their opponents as the Toffees have had a disappointing start to their season. A loss for either of the sides would mean they would be in danger of heading into the World Cup break in the relegation zone.
When and Where
Date: 12th November,2022
Time: 15:00 HRS BST
Venue: Vitality Stadium
Match Officials
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone
VAR: Andre Marriner
Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood
Team News
Bournemouth are without their no.1 Neto until January after the Brazilian picked up a thigh injury. David Brooks and Lloyd Kelly will not be available for Gary O’Neil as the duo are still nursing their injuries and hoping for a return after the World Cup break. There were no new injury concerns after the midweek Carabao Cup fixture as the rest of the squad is fit. Marcus Tavernier, Dominic Solanke, Lewis Cook, and Philipp Billing are expected to return to the side after not featuring against Everton in the cup fixture.
Lampard suffered an injury blow as Dominic Calvert Lewin will not be available for the game. The Englishman picked up another injury having just made his return a couple of weeks ago. The club is waiting on news from the specialists regarding the severity of the injury which means the striker’s World Cup dreams could be over. Andre Onana and Idrissa Gueye picked up knocks and are doubtful for the game. Ben Godfrey and Andros Townsend remain sidelined until next year and won’t feature for the Toffees.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to see a specialist in the next 24 hours after he’s been playing with a dislocated shoulder. pic.twitter.com/Ukm0z5yKxV
— (@ToffeeTVEFC) November 10, 2022
Match Analysis
Everton under Frank Lampard on the road has been kind of a let down considering the confidence with which they play at Goodison Park. And they will have a lot of work to do too as Lampard is under the microscope for his side’s disappointing form following a tally of just one win in their last six games, the pressure is building on the side to improve their performances to avoid a repeat of last season’s relegation battle.
Lampard could look to switch to a four at the back system after the switch in systems hasn’t been effective for him. Despite boasting of one of the best defences in the league conceding just 14 times, the Toffees have scored just 11 times this season which records to third lowest tally in the league. The absence of Calvert Lewin and Neil Maupay has left a major void in attack with no focal point. If they are to win, the game against Bournemouth who are averaging conceding 2 goals a game is the perfect opportunity to score and take all 3 points back to Merseyside.
Bournemouth, on the other side, are a side to reckon with. Goals is more than a surety when they take up the field – though capacity to holding off the opponents has proved difficult for the Cherries. They were left stunned by a 84th minute winning goal against Leeds United last time out as Crysencio Summerville completed his side’s comeback from 3-1 down. The Cherries defence has now conceded 32 goals in 14 matches averaging 2.1 goals conceded per game. Gary O’Neil will want to restore his side’s defensive solidity and they would need a repeat of their performance against the Toffees midweek. The team looked balanced after a number of changes to the first team resting the likes of Solanke, Billing and Tavernier.
Key Players
Dominic Solanke, backheel finish
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) November 5, 2022
Dominic Solanke
The Englishman has scored 3 times and provided 3 assists for his side being the talisman for the Cherries. His partnership with strike partner Kieffer Moore has been clicking in recent weeks. The Everton defense has been one of the meanest and stubborn defenses in the league and Solanke’s aerial dominance and physicality will be crucial for the Cherries to score.
Anthony Gordon
The 21 year old has been leading the line for the Toffees in the absence of Calvert Lewin and Maupay. Gordon has scored thrice already this season being just a goal behind his last season’s tally of 4 goals. Lampard has used him as a false 9 and the Liverpuddlian has adjusted well to the new role. The Cherries’ defence will have to be on top of their game and nullify the threat Gordon possesses to keep a clean sheet.
Predicted XIs
Bournemouth Predicted XI vs Everton: Travers, Smith, Senesi, Mepham, Fredricks, Tavernier, Lerma, Cook, Billing, Moore, Solanke
Everton Predicted XI vs Bournemouth: Pickford, Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Gueye, Onana, Gray, Gordon, McNeil