SEAN DYCHE could hardly have asked for a tougher first assignment as Everton boss with Premier League leaders Arsenal the visitors to Goodison Park.
The former Burnley boss faces a daunting task saving the Toffees from the drop after inheriting a squad low and quality and confidence from Frank Lampard.
And his job became even more difficult when the under-fire Goodison board failed to add any players on deadline day, much to the fury of fans already upset at another shambles of a season.
Only goal difference is keeping Everton above rock-bottom Southampton and things are likely to get worse before they get better with this clash followed by a derby at Anfield.
Arsenal are unlikely to show Dyche any mercy as they hunt a shock title triumph, with this early kick-off giving them the chance to restore an eight-point lead over Manchester City at the summit.
Champions City knocked the Gunners out of the FA Cup last week but Mikel Arteta fielded a weakened side, disappointing our man Mark after he had backed Arsenal in the double chance market.
Arteta will have his big hitters back for this one and the Spaniard has strengthened for the title run-in, bringing in experienced midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea.
It doesn't bode well for Everton but with the Goodison crowd likely to rally behind new boss Dyche they could still make it tough for the leaders.
How the bookies view it
With Everton having lost eight of their last nine games, it's no surprise to see them as outsiders, although the 8/1 available at SpreadEx does seem a bit extreme for a match at Goodison. Arsenal's best price is just 21/50 at BetUK and the draw pays 19/5 with the same firm.
Recent head to head
Everton have been a bit of a bogey team for Arsenal in recent seasons, with the Gunners winning just three of the last eight meetings. Their record at Goodison is particularly bad, going four games without a win there, including a 2-1 defeat on their last visit.
Players to watch
With Everton failing to bring in a much-needed striker in the window, Dyche will need Dominic Calvert-Lewin to hit form again. He has scored just once in 11 outings this term but might get a lift from the new boss and is 4/1 at Unibet for anytime scorer.
The Toffees have looked vulnerable down the flanks this term and in-form Bukayo Saka could get some joy down the Arsenal right. The England winger is 23/10 at Unibet for a goal while the same firm price him a 5/2 for over 1.5 shots on target.
Anything else catch the eye?
There seemed to be a lack of fight towards the end of Lampard's reign, with just one yellow card for Everton in his final two matches. I'd imagine that will change with Dyche at the helm so expect a few tasty tackles here. Bet365 price Everton for most cards at 6/5 while the Toffees are 4/5 to pick up the game's first card.
Alex Iwobi has been used in a few positions since arriving at Everton and it will be interesting to see where Dyche deploys the Nigerian against his old club. Iwobi should be in the thick of it and Unibet price him at a tempting 17/20 to commit over 0.5 fouls.
When Dyche was Burnley boss, we saw heaps of corners in their clashes with Everton. The last five meetings of those sides all saw 10 or more corners so I like over 10 corners in this one at 11/8 with Bet365.
This English Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal will be played on Feb 4, 2023 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Everton vs Arsenal prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
