Michael Owen says DCL absence will have no bearing in his Everton v Fulham prediction
Michael Owen has backed Everton to cope without star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin when they host Fulham on Sunday.
The England international was withdrawn early in the second-half of a pulsating FA Cup encounter with Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday when the Blues ran out 5-4 winners in extra-time and his injury took the gloss of what was a fantastic victory.
However in his pre-Fulham press conference Carlo Ancelotti allayed fears over a long-term absence but did rule him out of their Goodison Park clash with The Cottagers.
Despite this loss former Liverpool striker Owen has tipped the Blues for a comfortable win on Sunday in his weekly BetVictor predictions, saying: “I’ve been really impressed with Everton in recent weeks. The Toffees are through to the FA Cup quarter-finals and have Europe in their sights in the Premier League.”
He added: “There seems to be some doubt about his [Calvert-Lewin’s] participation, with him appearing to have tweaked a hamstring in the classic match against Spurs in mid-week. With or without his goal threat, I fancy Everton to pick up three points here.”
Owen predicts a 2-0 win for the Blues which could send them as high as fifth in the Premier League table if other results go their way.
No shocks here, surely
In Fulham the Blues will be facing a side on a rotten run of form with the West London side without a Premier League victory since November 30.
The visitors are staring down the barrel of instant relegation less than 12 months after their Championship play-off heroics but they might take some inspiration from the last meeting between the two sides.
It was a close-run thing at Craven Cottage on November 22 when Scott Parker’s side staged a second-half rally to pile the pressure on the Blues.
Everton raced into a 3-1 lead at half-time and looked like they would inflict the home side with a thrashing.
However Fulham dominated the second-half and recorded a whopping 67% possession total as they put incessant pressure to get an equaliser after Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored their second in the 70th minute.
Everton held out but they will have to bear that fixture in mind and learn from their mistakes while the absence of Calvert-Lewin will be a blow after he netted twice in the opening 30 minutes of the reverse fixture.
New recruit Joshua King will be hoping to get the nod to replace him on Sunday in what would be his first start in a Blues shirt.
In other Everton news, Blackburn boss praises eagle-eyed Blues scouts for finding loan star Jarrad Branthwaite.