Everton vs Arsenal
Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
Saturday | 7:30 AM EST | USA
After a week’s plus hiatus, the Premier League is back! I could have easily chosen Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City as the featured fixture, however I, like many others, find intrigue in watching a dumpster fire unfold (e.g. Everton). Thus, I’ve selected Everton vs Arsenal for this week’s Premier League Prediction of the Week. Arsenal is in first place, so it’s always exciting to see the Premier League’s elite take the pitch. However, the Gunners take somewhat of a backseat to the hosts this Saturday.
Most viewers are eager to see what horror show will unfold at Goodison this week? Everton, a historical blue blood of English football, has fallen into disrepute. The Toffees currently sit second bottom in the Premier League table, and are primed to be relegated for the first time in the PL era. Reminder, Everton is a founding member of the English Football League, which began in 1888. In addition, the club has won its fair share of silverware throughout the years, including nine English Top Flight Titles, five FA Cups, nine FA Community Shields, and even one European Cup Winner’s Cup (UEFA Europa League). And yet here the Toffees are about to be sacked into the second division. How’d this all happen? Well, simply put, the club has been mismanaged for many years, both financially and in sporting terms. As a result, you have a prideful fanbase that just a couple of week’s ago produced legitimate and severe enough threats towards the club’s ownership and front office, that the local police recommended the Everton hierarchy not be present at Goodison for said fixture. Countless chants and signage could be heard and read through the Merseyside area proclaiming change of leadership, ownership of Everton.
After the latest loss for the Blues, the front office decided to shake things up in hopes of getting a positive reaction on the field by firing its manger Frank Lampard, and selling its best young asset in Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United. In addition, England’s World Cup #1, Jordan Pickford, is likely headed out of Merseyside if Everton actually get relegated at season’s end. So, what will we see come Saturday?
LSB Prediction
Well, there’ll be a new face seen on the sidelines for the Toffees, Sean Dyche. Unfortunately for the Evertonians, the product on the pitch will be much of the same, dismal, disheartening, and disenchanting. The rage of anger will only grow from the Goodison faithful, chants growing louder as the match presses on. In the end, the Liverpool riot police better be prepared, because after 90 minutes, the scoreline will be ugly and the Evertonians will be wanting to storm the field.
Everton 0 - 3 Arsenal