Boasting just one Premier League triumph between them after seven games of the 2023-24 season, early-season strugglers Everton and Bournemouth square off at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Sean Dyche's side were put to the sword 2-1 by newly-promoted Luton Town at the weekend, while the Cherries were no match for a merciless Arsenal, suffering a 4-0 thumping.
Match preview
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The Toffees were enjoying the sweet taste of victory prior to the visit of Luton Town on September 30, as after belatedly getting off the mark in the Premier League with a 3-1 success at Brentford, Dyche's team stunned Aston Villa in a 2-1 EFL Cup third-round triumph.
However, those back-to-back successes counted for little when Rob Edwards's men stepped foot onto the Goodison Park turf, where Tom Lockyer charged down an Ashley Young clearance to give his side the lead before Carlton Morris expertly steered Alfie Doughty's free kick into the bottom corner.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin cut the deficit in half not long after, but Luton still rejoiced in a first-ever Premier League win come the final whistle, as Everton were brought crashing back down to earth thanks to their perennial defensive shortcomings.
Only goal difference is keeping the 16th-placed Toffees above Luton and relegation zone-occupying Burnley for the time being, and Dyche's side are even at risk of ending the weekend bottom of the standings should results elsewhere go against them, although Sheffield United would need to beat Fulham and hope for an eight-goal swing in their favour for such a scenario to occur.
Not since the final day of the 2022-23 season have Everton managed to keep a clean sheet in any competition, but Dyche's side have only failed to score in one of their last six matches, and the Goodison Park faithful will have extremely fond memories of that final pivotal success over Saturday's opponents five months ago.
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The last time Everton managed to keep a clean sheet in a competitive fixture, Bournemouth succumbed to a strike from Abdoulaye Doucoure which preserved the Toffees' top-flight status for another year, and the Cherries may need to pull off a similar great escape next spring owing to their nightmarish start.
For all the plaudits about Andoni Iraola's style of play, EFL Cup successes over Championship sides Swansea City and Stoke City represent Bournemouth's only triumphs in the 2023-24 season so far, and Arsenal ran riot at the Vitality Stadium during last weekend's South Coast battle.
Either side of Bukayo Saka and Ben White's headers, Bournemouth lost their cool inside their own box and needlessly gave away two penalties - one of which was converted by Martin Odegaard before Kai Havertz picked out the same corner with equal aplomb to get off the mark in Arsenal colours.
Only basement side Sheffield United are also still waiting for their first win of the campaign, and the 19th-placed Cherries have now strung together an unsightly 11-game streak without victory in the top flight, while conceding at least twice in all three of their away league matches so far this term.
However, Bournemouth had condemned Everton to four successive defeats in all tournaments before that fateful Goodison day last season, and the Toffees have failed to score more than one goal in each of their most recent five meetings with the Cherries, who could potentially clamber above the dotted line by exacting revenge for May's beating.
Team News
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Still without the injured duo of Dele Alli (groin) and Seamus Coleman (knee) - alongside the uncertain Andre Gomes (calf) - Dyche also withdrew Idrissa Gueye at half time in last weekend's defeat to Luton.
However, the midfielder's withdrawal was seemingly a tactical one, as Dyche brought on Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison - who has been plagued by a recent hip injury - for his delayed Premier League debut for Everton, and he should now come into the manager's thinking for a starting role.
Nathan Patterson may also have a case to demote Ashley Young to the bench, while sacrificing Gueye for Harrison or Arnaut Danjuma could open the door for Dyche to revert to a 4-4-2, allowing Beto and Calvert-Lewin to spearhead the attack together.
While Everton new boy Harrison is now ready to make his mark, his former Whites teammate Tyler Adams suffered a significant setback in his recovery from a thigh problem before the Arsenal defeat, and Iraola has conceded that the American midfielder will be out for "some time".
Adams rejoins a quintet of other absentees in the infirmary, as Emiliano Marcondes (foot), Alex Scott (knee), Lloyd Kelly (calf), Ryan Fredericks (calf) and Chris Mepham (unspecified) are likely to remain out until domestic football resumes later this month.
On a minor positive note, Dominic Solanke recovered from a knock in time to lead the line against the Gunners, but Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier both failed to make their mark; Hamed Traore, David Brooks, Luis Sinisterra and Dango Ouattara represent a wealth of alternative wide options.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Onana, Doucoure, McNeil; Beto, Calvert-Lewin
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Rothwell; Tavernier, Billing, Sinisterra; Solanke
We say: Everton 1-1 Bournemouth
Lots of umming and ahing occurred over the prediction for this basement battle, as Everton have started to show signs of life in the final third over the past few weeks, but frailties at the back continue to rear their ugly heads.
Bournemouth are not well-versed in keeping the back door shut away from home either, but while a first top-flight win of the season should still elude the Cherries, Iraola's side can travel back down south with a hard-earned point, although much will hinge on whether Everton can find their best shooting boots.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
