This weekend sees the return of Everton on home turf, welcoming a Bournemouth side who sit amongst the Blues as a side yet to taste league victory this season.
Sean Dyche’s men come into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers, a much-needed response to their 4-0 battering from Tottenham last weekend.
Bournemouth’s cup exploits ended early with a 1-0 defeat to West Ham after being held to a controversial 1-1 draw with Newcastle in their last league outing.
Everton won the corresponding fixture last season 3-0 to add to the Cherries' miserable league run at Goodison down the years.
In those seven Premier League meetings, the Blues have won six compared to Bournemouth's one victory back in July 2020.
Another win on the record books will be Everton’s aim after a slow start to the season, which sees them rock bottom after the opening two games.
With both teams hoping to improve their fortunes, this fixture proves to be an intriguing one.
From the Toffees perspective, that could not be clearer as they look to kickstart their season properly.
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Can Ndiaye be the creative spark?
Dating back to last season’s flirt with relegation, Everton’s struggles in front of goal have been a widely discussed topic for a while.
The Toffees set out to change that this summer with three of their five additions tipped to give more creativity and attacking thrust.
One of those new recruits was Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille, who in his short time as an Everton player has showcased his ability to help make the difference going forwards.
The Senegalese international dazzled in the league cup win during midweek, capping his performance with a sensational solo goal to mark his first in Blues colours.
It seemed a watershed moment for the Toffees faithful, who had seen their side fail to score in the league and in the opening 45 minutes of the tie before Ndiaye took control.
Everton are the only Premier League side this term to have not statistically created a big chance – a figure which would likely increase with him in the team.
Comfortable in both attacking midfield and out wide, Ndiaye can glide past players with the quality to match in the final third.
A substitute in the opening two league games, it could be the time for Ndiaye to deliver the spark for an Everton team that has lacked it.
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Tightening up at the back
The concerns up front have been matched at the back, with the Toffees shipping seven goals already – the most in the league.
That stat is damming in comparison to last season’s defensive record which was only bettered by Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Everton’s solid base came from a largely settled back four, something that has not been the case this term due to injury and suspension.
Jarrad Branthwaite’s absence down to injury paired with the lack of first-team right-backs at times, has seen the Toffees defensive setup short of cohesion.
That was clear against Spurs, both in the mistakes department and statistically. The Blues conceded 13 shots with seven on target, in addition to five of those chances being clear-cut ones.
Everton were exposed for large parts of the game despite three of the back four on the day being regular names in James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Vitaliy Mykolenko.
The inexperienced member was Roman Dixon, who at just 19, impressed on his Premier League debut at right-back following the recent injury crisis.
It is unknown whether Dixon will get another chance of a Premier League start with the return of Seamus Coleman in midweek, but it could provide the energy and drive needed to fire up the back line.
Jake O’Brien also started during midweek, but it is likely that the centre-back remains on the bench in favour of building some consistency among the starters despite their struggles so far.
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A more proactive approach
Compared to most teams in the Premier League, Everton’s approach is more pragmatic and focused on organisation without the ball.
Dyche’s desire for his side to be good out of possession means that the Toffees become a reactive team who wait for the right time to impose themselves on the game.
That has come at a price so far this term, with Everton finding themselves behind for long periods in matches.
In both of their league games, the Blues have been behind at half-time. A challenge made harder against sides who have different aspirations to a mid-table finish.
Bournemouth however, are a side touted to be more of a match for the Toffees despite their quality under Andoni Iraola.
The Cherries' preference to play an expansive brand of football would allow Everton to push forward earlier to exploit gaps, with the help of the Goodison crowd.
Interestingly, the Blues' 3-0 victory last season saw them have more shots and create a higher number of clear chances, while keeping the style of less possession than their opponents.
That game saw Everton have 47% of the ball, an improvement compared to the 30% average across their first two games this term.
With the Toffees at home, there will be an onus on Dyche’s men to do more in an attacking sense. An evenly poised game such as this could be the springboard for the team to flourish.
