Everton vs West Ham Preview

• Draw or Everton win
• Under 3.5 goals

Everton look to extend their impressive eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League as they host West Ham at Goodison Park.

The Toffees, revitalised under David Moyes, have become one of the hardest teams to beat in England’s top flight, but a run of three consecutive draws has prevented them from climbing further up the table.

Meanwhile, West Ham continue to adapt under Graham Potter, who has had a mixed start since replacing Moyes.

The Hammers have struggled for consistency, winning just three of their eight league matches under their new manager, and their recent 1-0 loss to Newcastle highlighted their need for greater attacking output.

Will Everton continue their unbeaten streak, or can West Ham secure a rare victory at Goodison Park? Here’s an in-depth preview of this intriguing Premier League clash.

Everton’s Defensive Resilience and Unbeaten Streak

Everton’s 1-1 draw at Wolves last weekend extended their unbeaten league run to eight matches (W4, D4), their longest such streak since February 2017.

During this period, they have proven to be one of Europe’s toughest teams to beat—joining an elite group that includes Liverpool, Barcelona, Roma, Augsburg, and PSG, as the only clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues currently on an identical unbeaten run.

However, despite their defensive improvement, Everton have been held to three straight draws, with their inability to convert these results into wins slowing their progress.

Their 12 draws this season are the most of any Premier League side, and one of them was a goalless stalemate against West Ham in the reverse fixture.

Interestingly, Goodison Park has not witnessed a league draw in this fixture since January 2011, with Everton winning seven and West Ham winning five of the last 12 league encounters here. That trend suggests that this game is likely to produce a winner.

West Ham’s Inconsistencies Under Graham Potter

West Ham’s performances under Graham Potter have been unpredictable. Since his arrival, they have won three, drawn one, and lost four of their eight Premier League games. Back-to-back wins suggested they were turning a corner, but their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday exposed their inconsistency.

A significant issue for the Hammers has been their defensive fragility on the road. They have failed to win in their last 12 away league matches when conceding (D4, L8), with their only four away wins this season coming with clean sheets.

This underlines their reliance on keeping things tight at the back, as their attack has not been potent enough to compensate for defensive lapses.

That said, West Ham do take confidence from their 3-1 victory at Goodison Park last season, where they came from behind to win. If they are to repeat that success, they will need to rediscover their efficiency in both boxes.

Head-to-Head Record: A Fixture That Rarely Ends in a Draw

• Reverse fixture result: West Ham 0-0 Everton
• Last 12 league meetings at Goodison Park: Everton W7, L5 (no draws since 2011)
• Everton’s current unbeaten run: 8 matches (W4, D4)
• West Ham’s away form: Winless in last 12 away PL matches when conceding (D4, L8)

While the reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw, recent history at Goodison Park suggests a winner is likely to emerge from this clash.

Key Players to Watch

Jack Harrison (Everton)

Harrison ended a 36-game Premier League goal drought by scoring against Wolves last weekend.

West Ham will be particularly wary of him, as he has directly contributed to more goals against the Hammers than any other team (G3, A2). His confidence will be high, and his attacking movement could cause problems for West Ham’s defence.

Mohammed Kudus (West Ham)

Kudus has been one of the Premier League’s most dynamic dribblers, attempting more dribbles (142) than any other player this season.

However, he hasn’t registered a goal or assist since December, and West Ham will be hoping he can break that drought here. Notably, all four of his away goals this season have come in the first half, so he could be a key early threat for the visitors.

Prediction: Can Everton Extend Their Unbeaten Run?

Everton have been incredibly tough to beat, but their inability to convert draws into wins has kept them from climbing higher in the table.

West Ham, on the other hand, have struggled with consistency under Graham Potter, and their poor away defensive record makes them vulnerable here.

Given Everton’s home advantage and defensive solidity, they should have the edge in what could be a closely contested affair.

West Ham’s inability to win away matches when conceding is a major red flag, and with Everton’s growing confidence, they may just grind out another narrow victory.

Predicted Score: Everton 2-1 West Ham 

Expect a hard-fought battle, but Everton’s resilience and West Ham’s struggles on the road could see the Toffees extend their unbeaten streak to nine matches.

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Everton v West Ham, 2024/25 | Premier League