Everton head into their Premier League clash against Leicester City on the back of a disastrous start to the season. With their injury woes continuing to deepen, the Toffees face a tough task at the King Power Stadium.
Sean Dyche has had to contend with an injury-plagued squad throughout the summer. The Blues have conceded 13 goals in four league games this season, and they have lost all four of their opening matches.
The club's woes have been compounded by a string of recent illnesses that have hit the first team. In the lead-up to the game against Leicester, Dyche confirmed that the absences of several players were a result of illness. This includes the likes of Vitalii Mykolenko, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Garner, and Jack Harrison.
The Toffees' injury situation is particularly concerning in defense. James Tarkowski and Michael Keane have been the central defensive partnership in recent weeks, but they've both been battling injuries. Tarkowski missed the Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton, and Keane is facing a scan over a leg issue. This leaves Everton with few options in central defense, with Jake O’Brien the only fully fit senior center back.
Dyche, however, is not fazed by the challenge. He is confident in his team's ability to overcome the adversity and is determined to get a positive result at Leicester. He has been instrumental in guiding Everton to safety in recent seasons. He is confident that the team can turn things around.
Meanwhile, Leicester are looking to bounce back from their own disappointing start to the season. They've picked up just two points from their first four games.
Despite having a slight edge in overall form this season, Leicester do not have the best record against the Toffees. The Foxes have won just one of their last seven Premier League meetings with Everton (D3 L3), a 2-0 away win in November 2022.
The game at the King Power Stadium is a crucial one for both teams. Everton need to get their first win of the season, while Leicester are looking to build some momentum. It promises to be a tight and competitive match.
Leicester City vs Everton: Team News
Steve Cooper will be hoping to field a strong side against Everton. The Foxes will be looking to exploit their home advantage and gain a valuable three points.
Leicester City
The Foxes will be hoping to field a strong side against Everton. The Foxes will be looking to exploit their home advantage and gain a valuable three points.
Everton
For Everton, the injury crisis is likely to force Sean Dyche into making some tough decisions. He will need to find a way to build a solid defense in the absence of several key players.
The Importance of this Match
The match between Leicester City and Everton is a vital one for both teams. For Everton, it's a chance to finally get their season back on track. For Leicester, it's an opportunity to build some momentum and move up the table.
The Key Players
Both teams have some key players who could make the difference in this match. For Leicester, Jamie Vardy will be looking to make his mark on the game. Vardy has a strong record against Everton. He has been involved in 12 goals in his last eight Premier League starts against teams starting the day bottom of the table (9 goals, 3 assists) and has netted seven goals in 14 appearances against Everton.
For Everton, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be looking to continue his recent goal-scoring form. Calvert-Lewin has scored in 14 Premier League defeats for Everton, including in his last two games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa. That’s the most games scored in and lost for the Toffees in the competition, one ahead of Duncan Ferguson who lost 13 times when scoring for Everton.
The Verdict
This match is a difficult one to call. Both teams are going through a tough time, but both have the potential to win. It's likely to be a close and tense affair. I'm going to predict a draw.
Final Thoughts: A Game of Fine Margins
The match between Leicester City and Everton is a game of fine margins. The team that makes the fewest mistakes is likely to come away with the win. It promises to be a fascinating and unpredictable encounter.
