Chris Sutton predicts winner of Everton crunch clash v Fulham in Premier League for BBC Sport
Chris Sutton has predicted that Everton will pick up a narrow win against Fulham in their Premier League clash at Goodison Park on Saturday (15 April).
The Toffees’ four-match unbeaten run came to a timid end in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United, leaving Sean Dyche’s side in 17th and only above 18th-placed Nottingham Forest on goal difference.
Writing in his weekly column for BBC Sport, Sutton admitted that Fulham had “gone on holiday” in recent weeks after a strong start to the season and that Everton could take advantage of this factor and the Goodison Park faithful to nick a 1-0 win.
“Fulham seem to be the Premier League team who have gone on holiday, and they have now lost four games in a row,” he said.
“Their manager Marco Silva will have a bit of a point to prove at Goodison Park after the way things went for him during his time there, but whether his players will turn up is another matter.
“This is such a big game for Everton, though. I feel like they have to win it if they are going to stay up.
“I thought the Toffees’ performance in their defeat by Manchester United last time out was pretty weak but home is where it has to happen for Sean Dyche’s side and I think things will go their way this weekend.”
Great opportunity
Fulham are in free-fall right now, with key striker Aleksandar Mitrovic still suspended from action and the club on the edge of falling out of the top ten in the Premier League table.
Although the Toffees were pretty feeble last weekend and didn’t seem to put up much of a fight at Old Trafford – barring Jordan Pickford, who made several world-class saves – getting back in front of their homes fans could be just the antidote they need.
Every team has their off day, and Dyche won’t accept a performance of that ilk again with so much on the line.
This weekend starts a favourable-looking run of fixtures for Everton, who take on Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Leicester City in their next three matches.
With just eight games of the season remaining, and four of these being at Goodison Park, Dyche could really do with picking up all three points to once again settle nerves on Merseyside.
The 2022/23 season is going to go all the way down to the wire, but a win against Fulham can improve Everton’s survival hopes drastically.