Everton PL Last 10 Games: L-L-L-L-D-D-W-D-L-D
The 2014/15 season has been a bit of an up and down roller-coaster for Roberto Martinez and his Everton side, who currently sit at 12th position in the Premier League.
They pay a visit to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon, carrying the unimpressive record of being just six points away from the relegation zone.
However, the Toffees can always conjure up a performance when it matters, and after a tricky winter spell they are beginning to find some form following their recent Europa League success.
A win for the Gunners is needed and it can’t come soon enough following the shambles in mid-week that saw our Champions League hopes crushed after that 3-1 loss to Monaco. The boys need to respond well, but will struggle against an Everton side who love to make a contest out of this fixture.
We’ve picked out the three Everton players who pose the biggest threat to Arsenal clinching three points that will secure our place at third in the league for another week.
1. Romelu Lukaku
This man barely needs an introduction to Arsenal fans, after he was previously named as ‘the new Drogba’.
With 15 goals for the season so far, Lukaku isn’t exactly taking it easy since his signing from Chelsea was confirmed back in the summer. Six of those goals have come in the Europa League, where he currently stands as the top scorer.
But this isn’t about the Europa League, and quite frankly in the Premier League the striker has been the get out of jail card that Martinez has had to rely on too many times.
This weekend could prove to be a change in goalkeepers for Arsenal, with David Ospina looking vulnerable between the sticks recently. Lukaku specialises in low-driven shots into the corners of the goal, and with Szczesny’s greatest ability being to get low and open his body up, I feel we could see the Pole start on Sunday.
The 21 year-old will be the first name in the starting eleven on Sunday afternoon, and discipline-wise he will be a handful. The Belgian isn’t known for his temper, so a very vulnerable Per Mertesacker will have his work cut out to get on top of the striker.
This Everton side have struggled to play decent football this season, and their main outlet will be down the flanks where both Kevin Mirallas and Aaron Lennon will be keen to beat our full-backs. If and when that does happen, Lukaku is always an option for the cut-back, and he won’t be wasting much time in trying to bag himself a goal.
Lukaku will be keen to add to his midweek brace against FC Young Boys that sent Everton comfortably through to the Europa League quarter finals, but will all that excitement on Thursday night have worn out the striker?