EPL Preview - Match Week Nine

The return of top-flight football in England provides the betting public with several options to show a significant return on their EPL investments. 

Liverpool starts matchday nine with a commanding eight-point lead over reigning champs Manchester City, while fellow big six mates Arsenal and Chelsea are in hot pursuit.

Leicester City finds themselves third in the standings, after a terrific start under Brendan Rodgers, the Foxes have high hopes of replicating their magical 2015-2016 campaign.

The chase for the Premier League title should be full of ups and downs, and with a plethora of action-packed matches over the weekend, each point gathered is significant for those with championship aspirations.

Everton vs. West Ham 

10-19-2019 - 7:30 am ET - 12:30 pm GMT
Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, England

The first match on Saturday's card features two clubs who have started the season in different forms. The opportunity to collect all three points and surge up the table will be a top priority, with each side having hefty expectations from their loyal supporter-ships. 

Everton has disappointed thus far based on their high profile movements over the Summer, currently 18th in the standings, the Toffees are desperate for a victory.

Marco Silva's Time To Shine 

Marco Silva is feeling the heat to remove his side from the relegation line, and with a two-week break in the action, the Portuguese head-man must now start to produce results.

The hosts will have history on their sides as the opening whistle arrives, having collected more victories against West Ham since the introduction of the Premier League.

Everton's front-line must start scoring goals after a lack-luster first quarter of a season, with the team only producing six goals on the season for an average of 0.75 per outing. 

Richarlison, Alex Iwobi, Glyfi Sigurdsson, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will carry the burden of placing the ball in the back of the net, with the four-some fully capable of breaking down the Hammer's back-line.

Team Prop
Everton - Team Total  O1.5  -115 / 1.87 - Goals 

The Toffees must also concentrate on their defensive form, with the home side conceding 13 goals through their first eight matches. Jordan Pickford must get back to the stellar way that earned him a top spot with the English national team, with the young goalkeeper struggling thus far.

Everton enters Saturday's matchup close to full health, with Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin the only two concerns, while Seamus Coleman is ruled out due to suspension. 

West Ham makes the trip north in prime form, and the Hammers have started the new campaign with an overall record of 3-3-2, good for eighth place in the table.

The Hammers Attempt To Keep Their Surprise Start In Tact 

Manuel Pellegrini seems to have a better grip on his team in year two of his time with the Londoners. Pellegrini started last season in a huge hole, causing the Chilean to dig deep and guide his squad to safety in the second half of the schedule.

The visitors have also reeled off an impressive twelve match streak, only losing twice over that span of time, and riding a six-game unbeaten streak away from home.

The main difference in the Hammers' sustained success up to this point has been health, with the likes of Andriy Yarmolenko, and Manuel Lanzini returning to the lineup after lengthy spells on the sidelines. 

The West Ham board also made another set of big money splashes over the Summer. Former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Sébastien Haller was purchased to help with the goal-scoring duties and the French-man has rewarded the club with four goals so far.

Pellegrini will be missing a few key ingredients to his winning formula. Robert Snodgrass is doubtful, with Lukasz Fabianski, Michail Antonio, Winston Reid, and Xande Silva all considered lengthy scratches from the rotation.

West Ham seems to have figured out their offensive deficiencies from last season, hitting the back of the net in six of their first eight fixtures. The Hammers have scored 11 goals, for an average of 1.4 per contest. 

The real test will also come on the backend for this club, only keeping two clean sheets under Pellegrini's aggressive style of play, conceding 1.4 goals in league play. 

Everton vs. West Ham - Match Prediction

The opening clash on the EPL schedule should be a must-see affair, although these clubs will not get the notoriety as many of the more prominent names in the league. 

Everton is the more desperate of the two participants. The Toffees are in an unfamiliar spot based on their rich tradition, hoovering around the relegation line is unsatisfactory for this proud team. 

Marco Silva must employ his men to take advantage of their lengthy time on the ball, with the home side likely to win the possession battle on Saturday. 

Silva's men can be explosive down the wings, wanting to create space and get on the end of crosses, which are a primary component within the attack. The hosts are also extremely dangerous in the box, wanting to use their aerial prowess in set-piece situations. 

West Ham has already shown they have a clear vision of how they want to attack opposing defenses. Pellegrini will allow his opponents the bulk of the possession, but when the Hammer's move forward in attack, they can be lethal. 

Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko will be critical down the wings. The duo's mere presence on each side of the pitch will cause Everton fits, while Sébastien Haller looks to get on the end of searching balls into the box. 

Despite Everton's recent flaws, I expect the home side to come out with a certain sense of urgency.

The Toffees could find success using through-balls as a tool to break down the Hammer's backend, with West Ham proving they struggle to contain such attacks. Everton may also call on the sharpshooting techniques of Glyfi Sigurdsson from outside the box, where the Londoners can be exposed as well. 

Everton vs. West Ham - Betting Tip 

Everton  -0.5  -110 / 1.91 - Full-Time  

Odds Provided By Bovada

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