Chris Sutton predicts Everton result against confusing Southampton side
Chris Sutton believes that Everton and Newcastle are the “draw specialists” of the Premier League and has therefore predicted another one for the Toffees this week.
Frank Lampard takes his team to the south coast on Saturday (1 October) coming off their first win of the season before the international break, and while it was four consecutive draws before that he looks to have his team on the up, now that he has striker help.
The Saints are a picture of inconsistency otherwise, lurching from victory to defeat, to leave them level on points with Everton but with an inferior goal difference, but Sutton thinks this one will end 1-1.
In his BBC Sport predictions column Sutton said: “I don’t really know what to make of Southampton. They sometimes play with blood and thunder under Ralph Hasenhuttl, but other times they don’t seem to attack very much at all.
“Everton have been better recently but, along with Newcastle they are the draw specialists in the Premier League this season, and I can see the points being shared again here.”
Improvement
Perhaps Sutton hasn’t been watching a great deal of Lampard’s side so far this season, because if he had then he would know that since the transfer window shut and Maupay was belatedly registered this side have been much-improved.
If it weren’t for a highly-debatable decision to rule out Conor Coady’s strike against Liverpool on 3 September it would be two wins in two since, with the Frenchman then scoring the only goal against West Ham two weeks later.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin now available to be involved in some capacity if the manager chooses this is a very different team from the one that muddled through a creditable run of draws looking lopsided in attack.
The fact that Southampton are either pretty good or pretty bad also suggests that a draw is unlikely, but whichever version that turns out on Saturday the Toffees have to have confidence they can take all three points.
A lot could hinge on the absence of Nathan Patterson, injured on international duty with Scotland, and how quickly Seamus Coleman can get up to speed.
The back four has been a huge part of why this team hasn’t been beaten in so long, and the young Scot being ruled out breaks up that unit.
Aside from that, with Jordan Pickford back in goal, the team is looking strong, so barring an unexpected stinker this should be a game where Everton are favourites.