Everton vs Southampton: Premier League match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s Premier League fixture at Goodison Park

Ross Barkley and Dusan Tadic (Getty Images)

Southampton will seek to complete the double over Roberto Martinez’s Everton and stay within touching distance of the top four when they travel to Goodison Park.

Ronald Koeman’s men, who for much of the season were perched in the top four, have recently seen their chances of an illustrious Champions League spot slip through their fingers, owing vastly to the recent form of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.

A win would see the Saints climb into fifth and just three points behind fourth-placed United, providing that Liverpool lose at the Emirates on Saturday.

For Everton, fortunes couldn’t be more different in comparison to last season, with the Toffees nine points off the relegation zone. The Merseyside outfit are unbeaten in their last eight home games, though five of those were draws.

Shot-stopper Frazer Forster is a long-term absentee for Southampton, while Everton's Romelu Lukaku is a doubt with a hamstring injury.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm

PREVIOUS THREE MEETINGS:

Southampton 3 (Lukaku OG, Pelle, Yoshida) Everton 0, December 2014

Southampton 2 (Alcaraz OG, Coleman OG) Everton 0, April 2014

Everton 2 (Coleman, Lukaku) Southampton 1 (Ramirez), December 2013

STATS:

Romelu Lukaku has rediscovered his goalscoring touch of late, scoring five in his last seven games in all competitions.

After 30 games last season, Everton were fifth on 57 points, 23 more than they are at the same stage this season.

Southampton have the best defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 21 goals. Everton have shipped double that.

The last time Graziano Pelle scored a Premier League goal was in December, in the reverse fixture at St. Mary’s.

ODDS:

Everton to win: 7/4

Southampton to win: 19/10

Draw: 9/4

TV: Highlights on BBC 1 at 10.30pm