Roberto Martinez goes looking for his first league win as Everton manager against a confident Cardiff City side who beat Manchester City last weekend.
Odds: Cardiff 23/10, Draw 5/2, Everton 13/10
Cardiff go into this game full of confidence after causing the biggest upset so far this season by toppling the riches of Manchester City 3-2, managing to bounce back from their opening day defeat against West Ham. Fraizer Campbell could be the man to watch in this game because if he continues his form from last week he could give Everton’s back four a lot of work to do.
Everton, on the other hand, have been a little frustrated. They ought to have won at Norwich, and were left bemused as to how they didn’t beat West Brom at Goodison last week to give them two draws to open up their first Premier League campaign with under Roberto Martinez.
Martinez has hinted he will be without Darron Gibson for this weekend’s clash as he returned to training from injury. Gerard Deulofeu could be in line for his first taste of Premier League action after impressing in Everton’s League Cup win over Stevenage – though they needed extra time for that.
Cardiff also managed to keep up the momentum they gained from Sunday by winning 2-0 over Accrington Stanley in the League Cup.
Everton start the game as favourites but if Cardiff manage to play with the same intensity they did against Manchester City, they could cause Everton some serious problems, and perhaps claim another scalp – though you’d expect Everton to be a little more patient than City and have the bigger share of possession in this game.
Everton will start as favourites, but they will have to work very hard to get their first win of the season, here which would be a welcome distraction from the speculation surrounding two key players in Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines.
Last time they met
Cardiff 1-0 Everton – League Cup second round, second leg, September 1979 (Everton win 2-1 agg)
This won’t give anyone a clue as to how this weekend’s match will turn out but it is worth noting that this is the first meeting between the two sides in 34 years.
After Everton had won the first leg of this tie 2-0 at Goodison Park, they had to face a fight back from Cardiff in the second leg. Unfortunately for them, they came up short by only managing to nick the one goal, allowing Everton to progress to the next round.
image: © illarterate
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