Everton have been enjoying life under David Moyes, but all of a Toffees persuasion know that the week ahead is one of significance.
While three successive Premier League victories have created a sizeable buffer between Goodison Park and the relegation zone, fans will no doubt clamour for a victory over Bournemouth in the FA Cup this afternoon, especially now that Moyes has been reinstated to the helm.
Moyes led Everton through the noughties and is a revered figure for his work at the club, but Everton’s trophyless run stretches way back to 1995 when they won the FA Cup and subsequent Community Shield.
The Cherries have been in fine fettle under Andoni Iraola this term and have done the double over Everton in the Premier League. Now, it’s time for revenge, with Moyes playing host to one of England’s in-form outfits.
Everton team news
Everton will need to be on their a-game to defeat a slick and stylish Bournemouth team. They were beaten by Liverpool at the Vitality last weekend but had previously gone 11 league matches undefeated.
The dearth of fit forwards means that Beto will reprise his role at number nine, buoyed by netting a brace in the 4-0 victory over Leicester City last time out.
However, next Wednesday’s Merseyside derby means that Moyes could make a few rotations where possible, albeit picking a team that is capable of sending the South Coast side packing.
James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam could play a part after recovering from respective issues last week. Dwight McNeil is still injured, so January recruit Charly Alcaraz could make his debut for the club in a forward-thrust midfield role.
Everton have lost seven of their past nine meetings with Bournemouth across all competitions, and so will need to be on the ball, so to speak.
Defensive resilience will be crucial against such a coherent offensive force, but Moyes will want to ensure his team packs a punch too, and Iliman Ndiaye could hold the key.
How Iliman Ndiaye can hurt Bournemouth
Everton signed Ndiaye from French club Marseille for a £15m fee last summer, a deal that looks shrewder and shrewder by the week.
Beto scored twice last time out but hasn’t been clinical or assertive enough throughout the lion’s share of his Everton career, joining from Udinese for an eye-catching £26m fee in August 2023.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Armando Broja both injured, Ndiaye will need to step up to the plate and provide his outfit with a goal threat from wide, especially with Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom exacerbating the situation from the right, both wingers without a single goal contribution this year.
Though Sean Dyche was dismissed from his duties in January after failing to provide Everton with any meaningful attacking flair, Ndiaye still managed to showcase his exciting quality, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp hailing the Senegal international’s “dynamite” talent.
It’s all the more impressive that he’s gone from strength to strength this Moyes’ appointment last month, scoring in all three of the Scottish manager’s recent victories in the Premier League.
This incisiveness will be crucial. Understat record that Bournemouth have outperformed their expected goals against (xGA) by 6.81 this season, effectively suggesting that the Cherries are solid and effective in the defensive third, even though they’ve cultivated something of a – deserved – reputation for being an attacking spectacle under their Spanish boss.
BBC Sport’s Oluwashina Okeleji has described “Everton’s standout performer this season” and it’s clear to see why. He’s scored six goals from 23 Premier League matches this season, missing only two big chances, but has also averaged 2.5 dribbles and 6.3 successful duels per outing, owing to his energy and combativeness.
He’s going to be a real thorn, with his complete skill set perfect to hit the attack-minded visitors on the counter.
Of course, Everton will have to deal with Bournemouth’s own fleet-footed wideman: Justin Kluivert. The Dutch winger has been immense this season, scoring 11 goals and adding four assists across 23 Premier League matches.
Goals scored
0.29
0.65
Non-penalty goals
0.24
0.28
Assists
0.00
0.24
Shots taken
1.17
2.53
Shot-creating actions
2.53
3.65
Pass completion
80.7%
71.8%
Progressive passes
1.85
3.76
Progressive carries
3.45
2.76
Successful take-ons
2.82
1.18
Ball recoveries
6.95
3.24
Tackles + interceptions
2.91
1.65
While Bournemouth’s star leads the way when it comes to contributions in front of goal, the electric Ndiaye caught the eye with his underlying metrics, bespeaking his quality and the importance of his involvement for Everton, aiding his team across attacking and defensive phases.
It’s also worth pointing out that Ndiaye has been playing in a far more restrictive attacking unit, evidenced by his low shots total. Even so, the Senegalese has bagged a respectable number of non-penalty goals, whereas six of Kluivert’s top-flight goals this term have come from the spot.
He’s also far more persistent with his successful take-ons, driving at defenders and adding a dimension that few teams are able to replicate with such vim and vigour.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
One can only imagine how Ndiaye would be getting on within Iraola’s brood. Perhaps it would be he, and not Kluivert, claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award for January.
After all, Ndiaye has scored in each of Moyes’ recent victories, warming up at the perfect time as the Merseysiders look to score a seat-raising win over Bournemouth and advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the third time in nine seasons.
To be sure, Ndiaye has played a lot of football this season. However, his crackling movements up and down the left flank, partnered with his ever-improving sharpness in front of goal, suggests that he could be the difference-maker in a tight affair.
Kluivert will be highlighted in the Everton defensive meeting, but Ndiaye, Moyes’ own version, might just be the one to emerge on top.
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