Everton welcome Swansea City to Goodison Park on Monday night, looking to stretch their unbeaten run to six games.
Sam Allardyce’s men are fresh off a midweek win over Newcastle United and will want to capitalise on the sides around them dropping points to continue their climb up the Premier League table.
In their way stands Paul Clement’s Swansea side are who rooted to the bottom of the table following their 4-0 midweek defeat at the hands of Manchester City. The last time the Swans won away from home, it was the backend of August - a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.
With a win, Clement’s side can move off the bottom of the table but will have to wait for at least more result before they are able to climb out of the bottom three.
The Blues have not beaten the Swans at home since 2014 but the visitors have only ever won once at Goodison Park - a 2-1 win in 2016.
Last Meeting
The last time the two sides met at Goodison Park, Everton needed a late Seamus Coleman header to snatch away a point from then Bob Bradley’s side.
Everton’s now record club signing, Gylfi Sigurdsson, put the visitors ahead late in the first half with a penalty but Coleman’s header denied Bradley his first win as Swansea boss.
The Welsh side slipped to the bottom of the Premier League table, without a win in the league since the opening day of the season after sacking Francesco Guidolin at the beginning of October.
Ronald Koeman’s side were booed off at full-time after failing to bounce back from the previous weekend where they were beaten 5-0 away at Chelsea, leading the side into a streak of one win in their previous seven at that point.
A Look at: Swansea City
Paul Clement’s side sit bottom of the Premier League with 12 points from 17 games, with only one win their last five.
After selling Sigurdsson to Everton over the summer, the Swans did not replace the man that had been their most influential player of recent times.
A late sale of Fernando Llorente didn’t help either but Clement’s side aren’t as cut adrift as some may have expected heading into the festive season.
The Swans only sit four points behind Stoke City in 17th and with the point differential being six from bottom to 12th, a couple of wins in the next few weeks could revitalise their season.
However, they will need to find goals as they’ve only scored nine so far this season. After a stellar season for Bristol City in the Championship last year, Tammy Abraham was brought in to try and replicate that form but has only found the net five times this campaign.
Bringing back Wilfred Bony from Manchester City should have helped by the Ivorian forward has only found the net twice.
Team News
Everton could welcome Yannick Bolasie back to first-team action after he completed 45 minutes for Everton’s Under-23 side on Friday night.
The Congolese winger could be back on the bench for Sam Allardyce’s side if the boss and his staff call upon him.
Swansea have a relatively clean bill of health with only Kyle Bartley out injured. Wayne Routledge is doubtful for the visitors due to a lack of fitness but could be named to the Swans’ bench.
Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Holgate, Williams, Martina, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Lennon, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin.
Swansea: Fabianski, Naughton, Olsson, Mawson, Van der Hoorn, Mesa, Ki, Carroll, Dyer, Abraham, Bony.
Referee: Jon Moss
Match Day Stats
1.Everton have collected 10 points in their last four Premier League games - one more than they managed in their previous 12.
2. Swansea City have scored the same number of Premier League goals this season as Wayne Rooney on his own - Nine.
3. Swansea have lost 18 Premier League away games since the start of last season; more than any other club.