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Preview: Everton v Arsenal, team news, Elneny to start + prediction

By on December 13, 2016

Arsene wenger

We will be looking to move back to the top of the table when Arsenal take on Everton at Goodison Park this evening.

Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Stoke City saw us climb to the summit temporarily as Chelsea moved three points clear after beating West Brom on Sunday.

So a win tonight would see us regain top spot and put pressure on the Blues ahead of their visit to Sunderland tomorrow night while it would also open up a six-point gap from third-placed Liverpool.

After an encouraging start to the season, Everton have fallen away and come in to this game without a win in their last five games so we’re certainly the form side of the two teams.

Goodison Park is a long journey from north London so those fans who don’t want to make the 4 hour trip home late in the evening, head over to Dealslands.co.uk and book yourself a hotel for the night.

Team News

Shkodran Mustafi has been ruled out for three weeks with a hamstring injury that he picked up against Stoke at the weekend.

Per Mertesacker is in light training but it still some time away from being available for selection so Gabriel is set to deputise at the back.

Hector Bellerin made a successful return from an ankle injury with a substitute appearance on Saturday so he’ll start at right-back. The Spaniard has just signed a new boot deal so use this Nike.com voucher to get a discount on boots just like Bellerin’s.

Aaron Ramsey has been ruled out with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the win over Stoke so he remains on the sidelines with Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck.

Everton have no fresh injury worries to contend with but Ronald Koeman may decide to recall the likes of Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon and Enner Valencia. Yannick Bolasie and Mo Besic remain long-term injury victims.

Preferred line-up

The back five pretty-much picks itself but I’d like to see Mohamed Elneny given a run alongside Granit Xhaka in midfield with Francis Coquelin dropping out ahead of the Man City game.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put in another encouraging performance at the weekend so I’d keep him in the side ahead of Alex Iwobi – despite the youngster coming off the bench to score at the weekend.

This would be my line-up:

Prediction

Everton usually save their best form for when the big boys come to town but we have a very good record against them having lost just one of our last 18 league meetings with the Toffees. Romelu Lukaku is the big danger but if we can keep him quiet then I’m confident we’ll come home with the three points. Everton 0-2 Arsenal