Everton will say an emotional goodbye to Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon when they take on Southampton in the Premier League.
The Blues will run out at their famous old ground for the final time this weekend before making the move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Everton have shown measured improvement since David Moyes returned to the club as manager in January, avoiding defeat in 13 of their 17 Premier League matches under the Scotsman’s watch.
The Merseyside outfit will come into this historic contest in high spirits after earning a 3-1 win away at Fulham last weekend, in a game that brought up a couple of my Craven Cottage selections.
Meanwhile, Southampton breathed a sigh of relief last weekend when holding Man City to a goalless draw, a point that ensured they moved past the Premier League record low tally of 11 points.
The already-relegated Saints will now have their sights set on spoiling the party at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
How the bookies view it: Blues to go out with a bang
Everton are as short as 4/11 on Boylesports to emerge from their final Goodison Park assignment victorious.
Southampton – who have lost 14 of their 18 Premier League away games this season – are big underdogs here at 13/2 on Boylesports, while the draw is also deemed unlikely at 7/2 with the same firm.
Head to head: Saints seeking more of the same
Southampton recorded just one of their two Premier League wins this term against Everton in this season’s reverse fixture, meaning that they have now come out on top in four of the last contests between the pair across all competitions.
Players to watch: Things can only get Beto
Beto has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Everton’s decision to change manager half way through the season, firing in his 8th Premier league goal of the campaign against Fulham last weekend. The Toffees attacker is an eye-catching even-money (1/1) on Boylesports to repeat the trick this weekend.
Flynn Downes racked up his 11th yellow card of the season in the Premier League last weekend, so he is understandably as short as 7/5 to go into the book again on Sunday. Instead, it could be worth having a punt on the tough-tackling Saints midfielder to collect the first card of the contest at 8/1 on BetVictor.
Predicted line-ups
Everton will come into their last-ever Goodison Park assignment without injured quartet Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Jesper Lindstrom and Orel Mangala.
Southampton interim boss Simon Rusk could stick with the same set of players that held Man City to a goalless draw last Saturday.
Everton: Pickford; Young, Keane, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Harrison, McNeil, Ndiaye; Beto
Southampton: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Bree, Downes, Ugochukwu, Wellington; Dibling, Fernandes; Sulemana
Anything else catch the eye?
With Everton too short to support as a single selection, I’ll instead back the hosts to win alongside a Beto goal at 7/4 on Boylesports.
This combination clicked during the Toffees' aforementioned 3-1 win at Fulham last time out.
In fact, this bet would have paid out in three of Everton’s six Premier League wins since Moyes returned to the club at the turn of the year.
GambleAware