West Ham United vs Everton
Everton will be hoping past results against West Ham will be repeated on Sunday as the Toffees try to end a run of six games without a win.
David Moyes' side have excelled against the Hammers in recent years, winning five of the past seven meetings between the two clubs, but have found themselves in free-fall recently having looked in excellent form in September.
Five consecutive wins were followed by draws at home to Stoke City and Wolves, although the 1-1 tie with Aston Villa last weekend suggested the team may have turned a corner.
- Premier League fixtures
- Premier League table
"I thought we had one or two opportunities but I don't think the goalies have made any saves in the game. It was tight and maybe a point was a fair result," Moyes commented after the match.
"I thought we nullified Aston Villa quite well but I didn't think we were able to play our game because at this moment in time, without one or two players who might change things for us, it makes our set-up slightly different."
That situation is unlikely to change any time soon, with the likes of Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta sidelined.
On a positive note, Steven Pienaar is close to a return from a knee injury and could be involved this weekend.
If the South African midfielder were fit it would solve a serious problem for Moyes, who has winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov suspended for three matches following his red card against Villa - taking their absent midfielder total to six.
West Ham, conversely, have an extra midfielder after Radoslav Kovac's suspension for a sending off in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland last weekend was served in midweek, while the return of Scott Parker from a suspension of his own has relegated Kovac to the bench.
Much depends on Parker to hold together a team that has quietly sunk to second-bottom, having officially had their worst start to a season for 21 years, as assistant manager Steve Clarke admitted this week before the 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Everton will be hoping past results against West Ham will be repeated on Sunday as the Toffees try to end a run of six games without a win.
David Moyes' side have excelled against the Hammers in recent years, winning five of the past seven meetings between the two clubs, but have found themselves in free-fall recently having looked in excellent form in September.
Five consecutive wins were followed by draws at home to Stoke City and Wolves, although the 1-1 tie with Aston Villa last weekend suggested the team may have turned a corner.
- Premier League fixtures
- Premier League table
"I thought we had one or two opportunities but I don't think the goalies have made any saves in the game. It was tight and maybe a point was a fair result," Moyes commented after the match.
"I thought we nullified Aston Villa quite well but I didn't think we were able to play our game because at this moment in time, without one or two players who might change things for us, it makes our set-up slightly different."
That situation is unlikely to change any time soon, with the likes of Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta sidelined.
On a positive note, Steven Pienaar is close to a return from a knee injury and could be involved this weekend.
If the South African midfielder were fit it would solve a serious problem for Moyes, who has winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov suspended for three matches following his red card against Villa - taking their absent midfielder total to six.
West Ham, conversely, have an extra midfielder after Radoslav Kovac's suspension for a sending off in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland last weekend was served in midweek, while the return of Scott Parker from a suspension of his own has relegated Kovac to the bench.
Much depends on Parker to hold together a team that has quietly sunk to second-bottom, having officially had their worst start to a season for 21 years, as assistant manager Steve Clarke admitted this week before the 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Source: DSG
