Stoke – Everton Prediction & Picks (17.03.2018)

Stoke City and Everton face off at Britannia Stadium, in a match for the 31st round of the Premier League. Everton won at home (1-0) the last time they met in this edition of the league, on 08-08-2017. The record of direct matches played in this stadium indicates total balance between these two teams, since there were 2 draws and 1 win for each team in the last 4 matches. Indeed, the last time these teams met at this stadium was on 01-02-2017, in the Premier League, they ended in a draw for (1-1). P. Crouch (7 ‘) scored the goals of the game, for Stoke City, and R. Shawcross (39′ Autogolo), for Everton. The condition home / away deserves particular attention, because despite this being a match between 19th and 9th of the league table, it is actually a match between the 17th ranked in home games and the 19th as a visitor.

Stoke City:

After 6 wins, 9 draws and 15 losses, the home team is currently in the 19 th position of the league, with 27 points won. In the penultimate match, they tied in an away match against Southampton, by (0-0). In the last match, they lost in a home match against Manchester City, by (0-2). This is a stronger team in his home stadium, where he has won 19 points, against only 8 in his away matches. In the last 10 home league matches Stoke City has a record of 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, so they have won 12 points out of 30 possible. Defensive consistency has not been their best feature, as they have conceded goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 30 matches in this competition, they only got 1 comeback in the 18 games in which they suffered the first goal. In the last 15 home matches for this competition there is 1 period that stands out: they have scored 6 of their 16 goals between minutes (31′-45 ‘).

The Stoke City leaves for this game with a defeat at home against Manchester City, by 0-2, adding in this way the sixth consecutive game without beating the English championship. We emphasize that the landlords do not go through a positive phase in the season, since they added only 1 win in the last 10 matches played. Coach Paul Lambert knows that this game against Everton is very important for the team, as it occupies the relegation zone. In this way, it will be expected to use an offensive strategy, with the lines advanced, looking for attacks from the first minutes. Xherda Shaqiri is the best scorer of Stoke City in the championship, with 7 goals scored. For this game the coach does not count on Ireland, due to an injury.

Everton:

The away team is currently in the 9 th position of the league, with 37 points won, after 10 wins, 7 draws and 13 losses. In the penultimate match, they lost in an away match against Burnley, by (2-1). In the last match, they won in a home match against Brighton & Hove Albion, by (2-0). This is a stronger team in their stadium, where they have won 29 points, against only 8 in their away matches. In the last 10 away league matches Everton has a record of 1 win, 3 draws and 6 losses, so they have won 6 points out of 30 possible.

For this competition, it registers a sequence of 5 defeats in the last matches as a visitor. They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 9 of the last 10 matches, but their offense has scored frequently, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 30 matches in this competition, he only managed 3 comebacks in the 18 matches in which he suffered the first goal.

Everton started for this match with a victory over Brighton, 2-0, returning to the triumphs after two consecutive defeats in the championship. It is important to underline that the visitors add only three wins in the last ten matches played in several competitions. For this game coach Sam Allardyce must act with a more defensive strategy, looking for the wings to apply the counterattack: Walcott and Bolasie are very fast and strong players in the transport of the ball to the attack. The veteran Wayne Rooney is the best score of Everton, with 10 goals scored. On this visit to Stoke, the coach can not count on McCarthy, Stekelenburg, Sigurdsson, Baines and Mangala, all injured.