Southampton v Everton
Sunday, November 26 (13:30 GMT), St Mary's Stadium, LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event
Everton will attempt to put Thursday's Europa League thrashing by Atalanta behind them this weekend when they travel to face fellow strugglers Southampton at St Mary's.
Just one point separates the two teams in the Premier League table heading into Sunday's fixture, making the clash something of a six-pointer for managers Mauricio Pellegrino and David Unsworth.
Hosts Saints have won just twice at home this season, but have an excellent chance of adding to their tally against an Everton that is without an away win in 10 months- and shorn of top scorer Oumar Niasse through suspension.
Team news
Key Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu will miss the south coast encounter through suspension after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against Liverpool last weekend. The Spaniard could, however, be replaced by summer signing Mario Lemina, who will have a late fitness test before the game.
French full-back Jeremy Pied is the only other likely absentee for Mauricio Pellegrino, who may also recall Italian international Manolo Gabbiadini in the hope of adding extra threat to a profligate forward line.
Everton caretaker manager David Unsworth, meanwhile, is set to ring the changes following Thursday's woeful 5-1 defeat to Atalanta. After being rested for the Europa League dead rubber, the likes of Leighton Baines, Idrissa Gueye and Sigurdsson are all expected to return to the Blues lineup this weekend.
Oumar Niasse and Tom Davies are both suspended for the visitors, with youngsters Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beni Baningime pushing for starts in their absence.
Elsewhere, captain Phil Jagielka and midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin are both doubts for the fixture through injury, while long-term absentees Ross Barkley, Yannick Bolasie and Seamus Coleman are still weeks away from a return.
What they said
Mauricio Pellegrino: "We are five points from eighth. Or four points away [from the bottom three]. I'm scared about a lot of things, but not my job.
"This is the Premier League. It's amazing for this, because it's really competitive, and also really difficult.
"When we think about the end of the last season, between eighth and 17th, there were six points. We're talking about 10 teams and six points.
"The Premier League is really tough, and a lot of teams are in similar situations. We have to fight for every single point."
David Unsworth: "Last night was a big disappointment but we come back this morning and regroup. We have got to put that to bed very quickly.
"The players who were involved last night know where stand. They know I feel they let the club down. The manner of the performance was unacceptable.
"We are looking forward to it [Southampton match]. It’s a tough game. But we must have the courage to go get a result on Sunday.
"We always owe it to the fans to perform. If our players didn’t know that, they know it now.”
Expected starting lineups
Southampton: Forster; Cedric, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand; Lemina, Ward-Prowse; Redmond, Boufal, Tadic; Gabbiadini
Everton: Pickford; Kenny, Keane, Jagielka, Baines; Gueye, Baningime, Sigurdsson; Lennon, Sandro, Calvert-Lewin
Prediction
A tense encounter awaits at St Mary's as two teams who can ill afford to lose get set to lock horns. As such, it seems unlikely that neutrals tuning in to watch the game will be treated to a classic full of free-flowing football.
Indeed, games involving Southampton have been typically dull affairs of late, with only one Premier League side's matches having seen fewer goals than the 23 involving Pellegrino's men.
Saints have also only won twice at home all season, but do, at least, have a big chance to put that right against an Everton side that hasn't won since January.
That, plus the absence of Toffees top scorer Oumar Niasse, probably swings this in Southampton's favour.
Prediction: Southampton 2-1 Everton
