David Moyes is set for a familiar showdown as his Everton side welcomes West Ham to Goodison Park for a crucial Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon. Both teams find themselves locked on 33 points, hovering in the lower half of the table but safely above the relegation battle—for now. With the 29th round looming, this encounter could prove pivotal in shaping their seasons.
Momentum favors the Toffees, who appear to be gaining steam, while West Ham struggles to break free from their stagnation. That tilt in form makes Everton the slight favorites on home soil, but as always in the Premier League, nothing is guaranteed. Expect a battle, expect drama, and expect a fight for every inch on Merseyside.
Everton march into the weekend with momentum, unbeaten in eight straight games under David Moyes. The Toffees may have drawn their last three, but they’ve shown resilience—a trait they'll need against a West Ham side desperate to rebound from their narrow 1-0 loss to Newcastle. Everton fought hard to secure a 1-1 draw away at Wolverhampton, but frustration is beginning to mount. The challenge now? Turning stalemates into victories.
David Moyes’ men have shown resilience, extending their unbeaten streak, but they need to start converting solid performances into three points. With Goodison Park as their fortress, the Toffees will be desperate to put West Ham to the sword and climb further up the table.
Injury concerns persist, with key names like Iliman Ndiaye, Dwight McNeil, Orel Mangala, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin still sidelined. But there’s hope—Armando Broja could make his long-awaited return, while Seamus Coleman is fit but faces stiff competition from Jake O'Brien at right-back.
Jack Harrison, fresh off breaking a 36-game Premier League goal drought, will be eager to add to his impressive record against West Ham. With five goal contributions in past meetings, the winger could be Everton’s difference-maker as they look to claim all three points.
EVERTON predicted lineup vs WEST HAM: Pickford (GK); O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Lindstrom, Doucoure, Harrison; Beto.
West Ham’s momentum under Graham Potter came to a frustrating halt on Monday night, as Newcastle snatched a 1-0 win at the London Stadium. Before that, the Hammers had been riding high, shutting out both Arsenal and Leicester in back-to-back victories. Now, they’re aiming to bounce back and reignite their charge.
Injury concerns remain, with Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville still sidelined, while Vladimir Coufal and Niclas Fullkrug face a race against time to be fit. Despite the setback against Newcastle, Potter may stick with the same starting XI for a fourth consecutive match, keeping faith in a back three of Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, and Aaron Cresswell.
Oliver Scarles has edged out Emerson Palmieri at left wing-back and could keep his place, while Lucas Paquetá—back from injury—will be desperate to force his way into the midfield. However, with Tomas Soucek, Edson Álvarez, and James Ward-Prowse all in contention, competition for a starting spot is fierce.
WEST HAM predicted lineup vs EVERTON: Areola (GK); Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Scarles; Kudus, Bowen.
Expect another tightly contested battle between Everton and West Ham, where the first goal could prove decisive. History favors the opener—seven of the last eight Premier League meetings have been won by the team that struck first. With both sides eager to break free from mid-table mediocrity, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Prediction: Everton 2-1 West Ham United
