Everton v Fulham | Match Preview, Odds and Prediction
The Premier League has finally returned, but Everton have a tricky opening game. The Toffees narrowly avoided relegation last season and host a Fulham side that finished in the top half, so they might not get the campaign off to winning ways.
Sean Dyche remains in charge of Everton, keeping the club away from relegation after a late-season upturn in form, but the Blues haven’t strengthened heavily in the transfer market. Everton were the second-lowest scorer in the league (34) and signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan despite him scoring just one league goal for Tottenham Hotspur last season.
And in addition to veteran Ashley Young, Everton also signed Chermiti who is highly rated but still very raw – the 19-year-old scored only three goals in 16 league games for Sporting last season. The Toffees finished one place and two points above the drop zone in 2022/23, conceding too many goals (57) while scoring too little, so the recruitment hasn’t exactly addressed the problems.
Everton’s home form (six wins and 21 points) was considerably better than on the road (two wins and 15 points), so Dyche’s men are 13/10 with BetWay To Win against Fulham. The Toffees were draw specialists in the Premier League, however, with only Newcastle and Brentford playing out more stalemates, Everton and Fulham are 49/20 with Bet UK to draw.
Fulham shouldn’t be ruled out though. The Cottagers finished 10th in the league last season and boasted a better away record than all but five clubs, so they’re capable of winning on Merseyside. Fulham are 5/2 with Bet UK To Win. Marco Silva’s side scored (55) and conceded an equal amount (53) in 2022/23, so Both Teams score 5/6 with Matchbook.
Fulham’s squad didn’t undergo much of an overhaul this summer. They brought in Raúl Jiménez from Wolverhampton Wanderers to replace the linked-away Aleksandar Mitrovic and added Calvin Ramsey from Ajax to bolster the backline, but they haven’t lost any important player just yet. Silva has said Mitrovic will play for the Cottagers again, so he’s 5/1 with Paddy Power to be First Goalscorer against Everton and 7/4 with Bet 365 to Score Anytime.
Everton doesn’t exactly have potent goal threats with Dwight McNeil top-scoring with seven league goals last season. The 23-year-old is 13/1 with Unibet to be First Goalscorer and 27/5 with Bet UK to Score Anytime. Neal Maupay, who could lead the line if Dominic Calvert-Lewin (5/1 with SkyBet to be First Goalscorer and 19/10 with William Hill to Score Anytime) isn’t fit as Dyche fears, is 13/2 with Bet UK to be First Goalscorer and 14/5 with Unibet to Score Anytime.
Everton and Fulham conceded more than 50 goals each in the league last season, so Both Teams to Score is 5/6 with VBet. Fulham have won three and drawn one of their last five head-to-heads with Everton, so will this go the way of the formbook? There should be goals galore if Calvert-Lewin starts for the hosts and Mitrovic for the visitors, but time will tell.
Prediction: Everton 1-2 Fulham
