COVENTRY CITY @ EVERTON

Everton carry a two-game winning streak against Newcastle

Everton beat Newcastle 1-0 in the league after a 3-1 cup win over the same opponent. Thierno Barry scored the winner in the league match, continuing a productive run for the striker.

Coventry arrive after a confidence-boosting response

Coventry beat Sunderland 3-1 in their latest league outing and have won three of their last five league matches. That recent improvement offers a counterpoint to their 16th-place standing.

Everton have calls to make on Grealish and Branthwaite

Jack Grealish’s availability remains uncertain after disciplinary and match-fitness issues kept him out recently. Jarrad Branthwaite was substituted against Newcastle with cramping, which David Moyes said was not thought to be serious, but he was still being assessed.

Coventry’s defensive depth could be tested

Aurèle Amenda, Haji Wright, Josh Eccles and Luke Woolfenden were reported as likely absentees, while Bobby Thomas and Frank Onyeka were being assessed. Thomas’s availability matters in particular given Coventry’s defensive cover concerns.

Lampard returns to face his former club

Coventry manager Frank Lampard faces Everton, where he previously managed. He praised Ethan Pinnock in his pre-match comments, making the defender’s role especially notable amid Coventry’s selection questions at the back.

Pick Ideas

Angles drawn from the matchup analysis above and refreshed as the news changes. They are a separate read from the LineCrush pick for this matchup, so the two can land on different sides.

Everton to win

Everton are priced as home favourites, around -140 in several listed markets. The home win is the straightforward side, though the odds imply a meaningful chance of a close contest.

Under 2.5 goals

Consider the under: seven of Everton’s first nine league matches finished with fewer than three goals, and their league games have averaged two goals per match this season. Listed prices vary, so compare the market before betting.

James Tarkowski to be booked

A card for Tarkowski is a separate player-market angle: he has been booked in three of his last four league and cup starts, according to the preview. Check the price and confirm he starts before considering it.