Everton will be targeting back-to-back wins in the Premier League when they face Nottingham Forest at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle last weekend, the Blues bounced back at the first time of asking by battling to a 1-0 win away at Bournemouth on Tuesday night. The victory means David Moyes’ men have won three of their last four Premier League matches.
Seeking to remain on an upward curve, the Toffees will return to their Merseyside home to take on Nottingham Forest this weekend.
The Tricky Trees will also have their tails up ahead of this clash after claiming a 1-0 win at Wolves on Wednesday night.
Like Everton, Forest have also managed to file maximum points from three of their last four top-flight fixtures, boosting their survival hopes in the process.
How the bookies view it: Toffees to triumph
Everton – who have won just three of their seven Premier League home games this season – are 23/20 favourites with bet365.
Nottingham Forest are unfancied 13/5 underdogs on bet365 while the draw is trading at 21/10 with the same firm.
Head to head: History favours the hosts
Everton have avoided defeat in five of their last six Premier League fixtures with Nottingham Forest, with the Toffees taking top honours from three of those contests.
Players to watch: Jack under attack
Having been fouled three or more times in seven of the 12 Premier League matches that he has started this season, Jack Grealish offers value to earn his side three or more set-pieces on Saturday afternoon at 10/11 on bet365.
Morgan Gibbs-White has hit the target once or more in four of his previous six Premier League outings, making a minimum of one on-target effort from the Nottingham Forest ace during this contest an attractive option at 11/10 on bet365.
Predicted line-ups
Michael Keane missed out with an injury in midweek and this weekend’s clash with Nottingham Forest may come too soon for the Everton defender. The hosts are also expected to be without injured trio Jarrad Branthwaite, Merlin Rohl and Seamus Coleman while Idrissa Gueye is still suspended.
As was the case in midweek, Angus Gunn, Chris Wood, Dilane Bakwa, Douglas Luiz, Ola Aina, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Taiwo Awoniyi are all likely to be absent for the visitors.
Everton: Pickford; Garner, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iroegbunam, Alcaraz; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry
Nottingham Forest: Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Anything else catch the eye?
Given that each of these teams have pragmatic managers in their respective dugouts, under 2.5 goals looks worthy of interest at 8/11 on bet365.
Moreover, there have been two match goals or fewer in nine of Everton’s 14 Premier League matches this season, including four of their last five fixtures.
On top of that, each of Nottingham Forest’s last two top-flight matches have both failed to break the over 2.5 goal barrier.
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