Match Preview – Brighton v Everton

Everton – the team
Everton have spent more time in English footballs top flight that any other club, a record 114 years (or in Sky Sports money, 25 years). They were one of the best sides of the 1980s, winning two league titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup Winners Cup. Their last trophy was the FA Cup in 1995 but a summer spending spree of over £100m gave hope that Ronald Koeman’s side would be a force to be reckoned with again this season. That hasn’t been the case and Koeman comes to the Amex under pressure after a run of only one win in their last six games. In fairness to Everton, those games have included meetings with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs, which Koeman said made him spit out his Pinot Noir while on holiday when he saw the fixture list. Personally, we’d have been reaching for a crack pipe had the Albion been handed that. But even so, it seems look a good time to be playing a side low on confidence at an Amex Stadium that, although early days in the season, isn’t proving an easy place to visit.

Everton – the place
Everton of course play in Liverpool, or to be more precise, the Walton area of Liverpool. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be named after former Albion goalkeeping great Mark Walton. It was once the home of Walton Hospital where a host of famous Scousers including Paul McCartney (we are unsure if this refers to the current one or the one who died in a car crash) was born.

Everton – the people
Given that we are being forced to play this game as a hugely inconvenient Sunday lunchtime kick off purely so it can be broadcast live in India, we have got to presume that Everton are a huge club on the subcontinent. It’s highly doubtful that the pubs and bars of Calcutta or Mumbai will be overflowing with people wanting to see Shane Duffy or Dale Stephens for example. Everton have a wealth of famous fans aside from everyday Indians, including actress Dame Judi Dench, boxer Tony Bellew, the aforementioned Beatles great Paul McCartney and world hide and seek champion Maddie McCann.

A good WeAreBrighton.com memory of Everton at home
You have to go back to 1983 to find the last time we played Everton in any competition, which we believe is in fact the longest run without facing a Football League club that the Albion are currently on. Needless to say, we weren’t born last time we met.

A bad WeAreBrighton.com memory of Everton at home
See above. Hopefully we won’t be editing to this read “Wayne Rooney scoring four goals and receiving a standing ovation” come Sunday evening.

Played for both
One of the glory players from Micky Adams II reign of terror was Kevin McLeod, a player who sadly seems to get overshadowed on the list of ‘Shit Players Signed by Adams’, which is kind of understandable given the likes of Colin Hawkins, David Livermore and Jason Jarrett are on there. McLeod started his career at Everton and arrived at Withdean with quite a big reputation. He ended up leaving with an even bigger waste line with his only contribution being an ability to take a half decent corner. Rather brilliantly, Wikipedia lists his last club as being Redbridge in Ryman North where he “loves a beer at the end of a game.”

Dangermen
Gylfi Sigurdsson is one of the most creative players in the Premier League and Everton also have Manchester United and England’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney in their ranks. Defensive wise, Jordan Pickford was one of the best goalkeepers in the division last season in a shocking Sunderland side and Michael Keane is a defender who has come up from the Championship and forced his way into the England squad – something our very own Lewis Dunk is trying to emulate. On paper, Everton have a bloody good team when you think about it.

Betting
The draw looks a decent bet at 23/20 given that the Albion look decent at home and Everton, although packed with quality, will arrive low on confidence. Six our nine games so far this season have been level at the break and you can also back that to be the case again at evens.

For our full OLBG Betting Preview of Brighton v Everton, click here

Prediction
A 1-1 draw. With Glenn Murray opening his account for the season.