Premier League - Arsenal vs. Everton - prediction, team news, lineups
On Sunday, the Emirates Stadium is scheduled to display a magnificent Premier League trophy as Arsenal anticipates triumph over Everton and possibly attains superiority in top-tier competition.
Mikel Arteta's team has put in considerable effort; however, they can only finish as runners-up unless Manchester City lose to West Ham United. Consequently, a section of Arsenal fans have come to terms with this possibility and acknowledged the likelihood of second place once more.
Statistics
Fans of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur found themselves in an uncommon scenario during the middle of the week. Gooners disregarded their animosity towards Spurs, rooting for them against Manchester City; meanwhile, a few Lilywhites fans were satisfied with witnessing their team's defeat.
Ange Postecoglou was annoyed as the second group had their wishes granted while City effortlessly secured a 2-0 win in North London. This pushed Arsenal to second place on the Premier League table, trailing by two points heading into the final day. As a consequence, Arteta's team may not have enough accomplishment on Sunday to put an end to their twenty-year absence from top-flight football.
The North London team's meager consolation rests in their slightly superior goal differential. To attain triumph and reach glory, they must conquer Everton as Man City settles for a draw with West Ham. Not since the legendary 1988-89 Arsenal squad has any club won the championship having trailed on the final day of play.
After defeating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford, Arsenal enjoyed a brief spell at the top of the table until Man City played their postponed game. Unlike in the previous season where they struggled towards its end, Arsenal has remained fiercely competitive throughout this title race - which is a reflection of Arteta's mentorship and significant improvements both technically and mentally for his team.
North London's powerhouse has clinched their fifth consecutive triumph in the Premier League after Manchester United suffered defeat. Their flawless record includes four clean sheets from those fixtures along with a high chance of becoming England's most resilient defence, despite possibly falling short of ultimate victory.
While Arsenal fans nervously keep an eye on their team and eagerly check for updates on their phones during Sunday afternoon, Everton faces no obstacles in making it to the end goal. Conversely, Sean Dyche's squad is expected to conclude the season with a strong sense of momentum.
On April 24, Everton triumphantly secured their survival with a score of 1-0 against Brentford. This victory marked the third consecutive match in an unbeatable streak of five for them. Throughout this impressive run, they have managed to accumulate thirteen points out of fifteen possible ones and narrowly clinched a win over Sheffield United by relying on Abdoulaye Doucoure's header which landed as the sole goal scorer.
Despite Brentford being only one point behind, the visitors have achieved their highest possible finish with a 15th place ranking. However, if Dyche's team fails to perform well against Brentford on the final day of games they could be demoted to 16th position - albeit this doesn't cause concern for Everton fans who are currently enjoying their secured Premier League status.
Although Everton's supporters witnessed exceptional performances at Goodison, they might have had unsettling thoughts about their team's lackluster form in away matches during 2024. The Toffees are presently enduring a frustrating ten-game winless run on the road in the top flight and hold an undesirable distinction of losing 14 final-day fixtures - more than any other Premier League club.
There are some parallels between Everton's forthcoming match against Arsenal and their previous meeting on the last day of the 2021-22 season, where they suffered a devastating loss while failing to score in two recent matches. This could give Arteta and his squad a faint ray of hope for clinching the championship.
Team news
Arsenal have no injury concern at the moment. So, they’ll be playing with their full squads. The ACL absentee Jurrien Timber is expected to be introduced at any moment but that’s yet to be specified by Arteta, as the season ends on Sunday.
As for Everton, they will be without Andre Gomes, Dele Alli, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Jack Harrison, and Nathan Patterson due to injuries.
Arsenal’s possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
Everton’s possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Garner, Onana, Gueye, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin
Arsenal vs Everton betting tips:
Both team to score
Arsenal to win
Over 2.5 goals