(Football news) The Toffees are still in shock from Monday night’s 6-0 demolition at the hands of Chelsea, while their opponents rallied to secure a 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers the previous day.
James Tarkowski, the center back for Everton, did not hold back while discussing the six-goal humiliation Everton suffered on Monday night against Chelsea, a mid-table team. The travelling Toffees supporters saw Cole Palmer virtually destroy their squad with just one goal.
Alongside a Nicolas Jackson strike and Alfie Gilchrist’s emotional first goal for the Blues, Palmer struck a fantastic four goals – despite a farcical penalty squabble – to further damage the spirits of Sean Dyche’s men, who were deducted a further two points for financial indiscretions before heading south.
Before their on-field and off-field problems reared their ugly heads again, though, Everton had made a praiseworthy start to April – holding Newcastle United and getting the better of demotion rivals Burnley – so their Premier League status remains in their own hands in 16th spot.
Dyche’s men may only be one point and one place better off than Forest, while also possessing just a two-point buffer over Luton Town in 18th, but they boast a game in hand on both teams and rather remarkably remain above the dotted line despite only winning one of their last 15 Premier League contests.
Several Goodison Park metrics are working against Dyche’s crop, though, as from the 17 teams to have also competed in the Premier League last season, Everton rank bottom for home wins (10), points won (37) and goals scored (32), while also suffering a division-high 17 losses.
On the contrary, Nottingham Forest are at the same end of the 17-team spectrum for away performances, with just three road wins, 18 road points and 28 away goals to boasts since the start of last season, further increasing the stakes for Sunday’s crunch clash.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s reunion with former club Wolves last weekend was nearly a joyous affair for the Portuguese, who witnessed Morgan Gibbs-White – another erstwhile Molineux man – and Danilo cancel out Matheus Cunha’s opener, but the Brazilian managed to bundle home his second of the afternoon just past the hour mark.
While Santo professed that the Tricky Trees did enough for the win at the City Ground, his side were forced to be content with the point that leaves them teetering just above the danger done in 17th position, but they also have goal difference on their side against Luton.
Though Santo’s team has won just once in their last five games following four straight losses from February 24 to April 10, the Garibaldi supporters should feel hopeful for the spring as they still haven’t won an away Premier League game in 2024 and haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home since October.
In the 2022–23 season, both meetings between the teams on Sunday resulted in draws, including a goalless draw at Goodison Park. However, in December, Everton defeated the opposition 1-0 at the City Ground thanks to a goal from Dwight McNeil in the second half.
