Everton vs Southampton: Preview and Prediction

Everton will aim to give the Goodison Park faithful a lasting memory in the final men’s game at the fabled stadium when they host Southampton on Sunday.

Gameweek 37 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Sunday after taking a break on Saturday. The action on the day will start with Everton vs Southampton, with the two bottom-half teams facing off in the final men’s game at Goodison Park.

Everton secured safety several weeks ago, with the decision to bring David Moyes back to Goodison Park paying off. The Merseyside outfit barely put a foot wrong in the first couple of months under Moyes. However, the Toffees have faltered in the last few weeks, although the 3-1 win over Fulham ended a ten-match winless run.

On the other hand, Southampton will return to the EFL Championship after only one season in the Premier League. The Saints have been one of the worst teams in Premier League history, although they beat Derby County’s tally in the nick of time with the surprise goalless draw against Manchester City last week. However, that will not be enough to lift them from the bottom of the table even if they win their final two games.

Everton and Southampton have faced off twice this season, with the Saints clinching a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture and beating the Toffees on penalties in the EFL Cup third round. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Everton

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pickford; Young, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner, Doucoure; Alcaraz, Beto, McNeil

Southampton

Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Ramsdale; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Welington; Mateus Fernandes, Downes, Aribo, Dibling; Archer

Key Stats

• Southampton beat Everton 1-0 in November, the first of two top-flight win this season. The Saints are vying for a league double against the Toffees for the first time since 1997/98. Southampton clinched a 2-1 win vs Everton the last time they visited Goodison Park in January 2023, claiming their first top-flight victory there since 1997.
• Everton are winless in their last seven home fixtures in league and cup (D5 L2); they have not had a longer streak since an eight-match sequence between October and December 2009. The Toffees have kept only one clean sheet in their 13 most recent Premier League games, although they have not conceded more than twice in any of their past 23 top-flight outings.
• Last weekend’s goalless draw with Manchester City means Southampton will aim to avoid defeat in successive top-flight matches for the first time since March 2023. That was also the last time they kept consecutive Premier League clean sheets.
• Everton are the only side to have not conceded from a Premier League penalty this season. They have faced two spot-kicks, both of which Jordan Pickford save in draws with Newcastle United and Manchester City. On the other hand, Southampton have yet to score a penalty in this season’s Premier League, failing to convert two. Wolverhampton Wanderers are the only other team yet net a spot-kick (having not been awarded one).
• Southampton have had 441 sequences of at least 10 “open-play passes” in the Premier League this season – only five teams have had more. Their average of 12.3 such sequences per game is the highest on record by a relegated team (data exists from 2014/15).

Player to Watch

Beto

While Tyler Dibling, Cameron Archer, and Dwight McNeil were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Beto as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park.

The Guinea-Bissau international embraced the additional responsibility in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s absence, and he has become the undisputed first-choice striker for Everton. Beto has scored seven Premier League goals since the start of February, with only Mohamed Salah (9) having more in that period (before the latest round of fixtures). So, he will be the go-to man for David Moyes this weekend as the Toffees aim to bow out of Goodison Park on a high.

Prediction

Everton 2-0 Southampton

Everton may have struggled for wins at Goodison Park in the last few weeks, but that will not be a factor when they host Southampton in the final men’s game at the fabled stadium. In addition, the Saints struggle to keep their opponents at bay, and that will play into the home side’s hands.

While the away side will take the game to Everton, they might not have enough quality to trouble Jordan Pickford. Meanwhile, Beto and Dwight McNeil will run the show for Everton, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for David Moyes and his charges.