Everton suffered a narrow defeat in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool earlier this week, but under the guidance of David Moyes, they have been enjoying a resurgence and might just cause an upset when they face Arsenal on Saturday.
Arsenal, on the other hand, managed to clinch a victory in their recent match against Fulham at home. However, their performances away from home have not been very convincing. With the Premier League title race almost decided, they could have one eye on their upcoming Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Team news
Everton's Orel Mangala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Dwight McNeil are nearing a return but may still be unavailable for Saturday's match. Iliman Ndiaye showcased his fitness coming off the bench on Wednesday and is in contention for a starting spot.
Arsenal's defender Gabriel had to be substituted just 16 minutes into their game against Fulham and is unlikely to play at Goodison Park. He will be sidelined alongside Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, and Riccardo Calafiori. Bukayo Saka made a comeback from the bench and is pushing for a starting position.
The stats
Everton have garnered four points from their last five encounters with Arsenal.
In their last 10 Premier League away matches, Arsenal have drawn five games.
Everton has not been defeated in their last five Premier League home games.
Arsenal's sole away victories in the league in their last five attempts were against teams in the bottom five.
Prediction
Everton's recent visit to Liverpool ended in defeat, but losing 1-0 to the league leaders is nothing to be embarrassed about. They appear to be a solid pick to bounce back against Arsenal this Saturday.
Since Moyes' return in January, Everton has only lost thrice and remains unbeaten in five home league matches, having faced the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Arsenal might be the favorites, but the 12-point gap between them and Liverpool seems insurmountable. Arteta could opt to rotate his squad ahead of a crucial Champions League fixture against Real Madrid next week.
Arsenal has failed to win three of their last five away games and with Gabriel's injury setback during the week, Everton may just be primed to surprise at Goodison Park.