Preview: Everton vs. Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

Everton and Arsenal will both aim to bounce back from disappointing midweek defeats during Monday's Premier League battle at Goodison Park.

The Toffees suffered a dampening 4-1 Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool, while Mikel Arteta's side went down 3-2 to Manchester United.

Match preview

© Reuters

Rafael Benitez's reunion with Liverpool on the blue half of Merseyside was never expected to be a joyous occasion, with the Reds in rampant goalscoring form and the Toffees losing their golden touch from the early stages of the season.

Mohamed Salah struck twice on the day after Jordan Henderson's curling effort broke the deadlock early doors, and even though Demarai Gray threatened the unlikeliest of comebacks, Diogo Jota killed any hopes of an Everton revival late on.

With their dismal winless streak in the Premier League now standing at eight matches, Everton find themselves down in 14th in the table before Saturday's games kick off, so they could very well drop closer to danger before Monday's battle commences.

Six of Everton's last eight top-flight matches have now ended in defeat - a truly alarming fall from grace given their bright start to life under Benitez - whose side have conceded eight goals and scored just one in their last three successive defeats.

Of course, Arsenal-linked Dominic Calvert-Lewin's injury woes have not helped them on the goalscoring front, but a lack of solutions to the England international's absence has been apparent, and the Gunners can feel confident of condemning Everton to a fourth defeat from five home games here.

© Reuters

After one of the most bizarre goals in the history of the Premier League flew into the back of the net past a stricken David de Gea, Arsenal failed to maintain the intensity following Emile Smith Rowe's freak strike and were made to pay the price.

Cristiano Ronaldo was up to his old tricks against Arsenal with a brace on the night - although Martin Odegaard immediately cancelled out his first - and Bruno Fernandes also beat Aaron Ramsdale to punish Arteta's young guns.

A truly forgettable night at the Theatre of Dreams saw Arsenal's six-game league unbeaten run against Man United come to an end, and they also missed the chance to leapfrog West Ham United into the top four, with the fifth-placed Gunners now just one point clear of Tottenham Hotspur having played a game more.

A previous defeat at Anfield last month means that Arsenal are at risk of losing three away games on the bounce in the Premier League on Monday night - which most recently happened in February 2019 - but they will welcome the chance to pit their wits against an out-of-sorts Toffees side to get back on track.

However, Everton did the double over Arsenal last term - winning 2-1 at Goodison Park before a 1-0 Emirates triumph - and the Gunners have only managed to win one of their last five meetings with the Toffees in the Premier League.

Team News

© Reuters

Everton star man Calvert-Lewin continues to recover from his thigh problem, but Tom Davies will miss out and Salomon Rondon sustained a hamstring injury in the Merseyside derby.

Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina have outside chances of making the squad on Monday, and Mason Holgate's return from suspension will give Benitez a much-needed defensive boost.

Either ex-Arsenal man Alex Iwobi or Anthony Gordon should benefit from Rondon's absence this week, and the latter could be given the nod after being brought on for the Venezuelan in midweek.

As for Arsenal, Bukayo Saka was fit enough to come off the bench at Old Trafford, but long-term victims Sead Kolasinac and Granit Xhaka remain on the sidelines and Emile Smith Rowe is a slight doubt with discomfort.

Second-choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno is also nursing a groin strain but was not going to displace Ramsdale either way, and Nuno Tavares will aim to keep Kieran Tierney out of the team once more.

Saka's expected return to the first XI could spell trouble for Gabriel Martinelli, with Arteta highly unlikely to drop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang despite his lack of ruthlessness recently.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Coleman, Godfrey, Keane, Digne; Townsend, Doucoure, Allan, Gordon; Gray; Richarlison

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Partey, Lokonga; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Aubameyang

We say: Everton 0-1 Arsenal

The less said about Arsenal's defence versus the 'Big Six' sides the better, but Arteta's men have done well to shut up shop against most other teams and should take advantage of Everton's downward slump to get back on track.

It is difficult to back Arteta's men to produce a goal-laden showing given their struggles to score from open play - not helped by Aubameyang missing sitters two weeks in a row - so this contest could be decided by just the one goal.