- Everton have lost seven of their last eight Premier League home games 
- Bournemouth remain winless in the league this season 
- Recommended bet: Draw

Although we are only seven games into the Premier League campaign, Everton and Bournemouth will both be looking at this match as one they cannot afford to lose.

Everton’s dismal home form almost got them relegated last term and a similar scenario is playing out in 2023-24, with the Toffees losing all four Goodison Park outings thus far.

That run includes a dispiriting 2-1 home loss to relegation favourites Luton last weekend; a shock defeat that put paid to any hopes of getting their season up and running in supposedly easy back-to-back home games.

The Cherries are one of only four teams going into the weekend below Everton, but some of their performances under Andoni Iraola will have supporters believing they could have leapfrogged the Toffees by Saturday evening.

Team news

Everton remain without attacker Dele Alli (groin), midfielder Andre Gomes (calf) and full-back Seamus Coleman (knee), but all three will be hoping to return shortly after the international break.

Bournemouth centre-backs Chris Mepham and Lloyd Kelly (calf) are both set to miss the trip to Merseyside along with right-back Ryan Fredericks, who also has a calf injury.

Midfielder Alex Scott should return to the squad after the international break following a knee injury but fellow midfielder Tyler Adams faces another couple of months out with a thigh problem.

The stats

Everton have lost seven of their last eight Premier League home games, but the only exception in that run was a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth.

However, that was a must-win match for Everton on the final day of 2022-23, when Bournemouth had nothing to play for having already secured their survival.

Prior to that May 28th encounter, Bournemouth had won each of the previous four meetings with the Toffees, scoring three or more goals on each occasion.

While Bournemouth remain winless in 2023-24, they have yet to face a side expected to be involved in the relegation scrap. All four defeats have come against teams currently in the top six and they have drawn at home to Chelsea and West Ham as well as picking up a point at Brentford.

Prediction

Everton’s home form puts them among the least convincing odds-on shots on this weekend’s coupon and it would be no surprise to see Sean Dyche’s struggling Toffees again drop points against a fellow struggler.

Bournemouth were undeniably poor against Arsenal last weekend but have generally been good for long periods of most of their matches this season, albeit often without reward.

A lack of cutting edge in front of goal could stop the Cherries taking all three points, but they should be confident of matching their hosts for the majority of the game and will not fear Everton given their hosts’ own problems in front of goal.

It is likely to be a tense encounter full of frustration for those in the stands but a point apiece might not be the worst return for either manager.

Back the draw, available at 11/4 with LiveScore Bet

Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!

-Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!

Predict the score of all six LiveScore 6 fixtures for your chance to win. 18+, UK/Ireland residents only, T&Cs apply.