The Match
Swansea dug their heels in well against Norwich and earned a hard-won point against a side they've traditionally struggled against since their rise to the Premier League. Handy, given that their next opponents (Martinez's Everton) are a side against whom they have an even worse record - having not win a single match against the Toffees in sixteen attempts. Worse still, we haven't even managed a goal against them since promotion to the PL, but Martinez's side will look vastly different to the Moyes' era side which repeatedly outmuscled and outfought our beloved Swans. Hopefully we can continue our good form against Martinez sides, but Everton are very much a different animal to Wigan.
Everton are absolutely flying right about now. Unbeaten in nine games since losing 3-1 at Man City (their only loss of the campaign so far), they now boast the joint-best defence in the Premier League - quite remarkable for a Martinez side. Much like Rodgers benefited from Sousa's year in SA1, I feel Martinez is benefiting from Moyes' lengthy [defensive] tenure at Goodison. With a win at Old Trafford, a draw at the Emirates and a demolition of Fulham in recent memory, this fixture is likely to hold no fear for the Toffees who will arrive full of confidence and swagger. This looks likely to be the toughest test of the season so far (Man City away not included), and they'll have to be at their absolute best if they're to secure even a point.
Prior Form (Most recent at top)
Team News - provided by Physioroom.com's Ben Dinnery
Mixed injury updates this week for Michael Laudrup as his battered Swansea squad begins to look a little stretched. Firstly the news that no Jacks fan will want to hear, Spanish forward Michu is a major doubt for the trip to Everton due to an ongoing ankle problem & unless there is ‘significant improvement’ he will miss out. The player is due to see a specialist to discuss potential options, but an operation is required & a decision will be made whether it can be delayed; otherwise Michu’s season could be over. Michel Vorm went under the surgeons’ knife this week to help remedy a knee injury, the Dutch goalkeeper was hoping to remain active until the New Year but after aggravating the problem further against Norwich the club decided to call for immediate action. The full extent of the injury is not yet known, but doctors were expecting to tighten ligaments, trim cartilage and clean out bone fragments. No definite return date but initial reports suggest in excess of a month. However with every cloud comes a silver lining and Swansea are hoping to welcome back duo Chico Flores (knee) and Leon Britton (toe) on Sunday after the pair returned to training this week. The Spanish defender was suspended last weekend while Britton has been out since the end of November. And finally good news relating to influential midfielder Nathan Dyer, both the player and club feared the worse last week after he was stretchered off with a suspected fractured ankle but scans have since revealed no break; ligament damage the prognosis. The player could now return as early as late January.
For Everton boss Roberto Martinez the injury Gods appear to be shining with very little happening across at Finch Farm (Evertons’ Training Ground). Long-term absentees Arouna Kone (knee) and Darron Gibson (ACL) are expected to miss most, if not all of this season which leaves only one or two slight niggles ahead of the trip to the Liberty Stadium. Full-back Leighton Baines (broken toe) has returned to training but Sundays game could come too early, a more realistic target would be on Boxing Day. Tony Hibbert has also recovered from a minor knee injury but a place on bench at best is all he can hope for. The only other concern the Toffees have this week is Gerard Deulofeu, the youngster is expected to miss around five weeks after tearing his hamstring at Goodison last weekend against Fulham.
For Everton boss Roberto Martinez the injury Gods appear to be shining with very little happening across at Finch Farm (Evertons’ Training Ground). Long-term absentees Arouna Kone (knee) and Darron Gibson (ACL) are expected to miss most, if not all of this season which leaves only one or two slight niggles ahead of the trip to the Liberty Stadium. Full-back Leighton Baines (broken toe) has returned to training but Sundays game could come too early, a more realistic target would be on Boxing Day. Tony Hibbert has also recovered from a minor knee injury but a place on bench at best is all he can hope for. The only other concern the Toffees have this week is Gerard Deulofeu, the youngster is expected to miss around five weeks after tearing his hamstring at Goodison last weekend against Fulham.
Completely guessed lineups
Statistics & Trivia
- The Swans have failed to score in all four of their PL meetings against Everton (L3 D1).
- Everton have never lost in any competition to Swansea (W12 D5 L0).
- Everton boss Roberto Martinez started his managerial career as boss of Swansea City winning 50 per cent of his 126 games in charge.
- Roberto Martinez has failed to win his four previous Premier League games against Swansea (D1, L3).
- Swansea should become the first side to reach 10,000 passes this season (average 597 per match and have made 9549 in total).
- Swansea have lost just once in their last six Premier League games (W2, D3).
- Everton have lost fewer games (1) than any other Premier League side this season.
- Only Southampton have conceded as few goals as Everton in the Premier League this season (15).
- Swansea's sidelined midfielder Nathan Dyer had scored three goals in his last six Premier League appearances.
- Everton defenders have supplied seven goals in the Premier League this season, more than at any other club.
- Michu has failed to score in his last seven Premier League appearances - his longest drought since joining Swansea.
- Swansea have taken only 38 points from 34 Premier League games in 2013.
- Only West Ham have kept as many clean sheets as Everton (8) this season in the Premier League.
- Everton have lost seven points from winning positions this season. Prior to this weekend, only Manchester City (eight) and Sunderland (11) had worse records.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Michael Laudrup gives Martinez massive credit for Everton's good start to the season ahead of this Sunday's match:
“He has done a great job. It is difficult to come into a club who have had the same manager for 11 years. In the last ten years they are also around the top half of the league, and that was with a smaller budget that a lot of teams. So to come in and want to change the way of playing is even more difficult.Leon Britton acknowledged how much we owe Bobby when speaking to the official site:
“I have watched their last four or five games and they were outstanding against Arsenal at the Emirates. They have kept a lot of their best players and made a huge signing in Lukaku on the final day of the transfer window.”
http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/laudrup-everton-1246903.aspx?#irWy2jqxwu9RjLhI.99
“They’ve had a great start to the season. Roberto’s come in, and it seems as though they have just hit the ground running. They’ve got a good squad there, but Roberto has come in and put his own stamp on things. He has his own ideas – which we know about here – about how he wants his team to play.
“Watching them recently, they’ve been playing really well, but it’s not a surprise to anyone here at Swansea. He had a massive impact here as a player. He then took on the manager’s job when he was very young, which might have surprised people, but, again, he had a massive impact.
“Straight away, he changed the way we played to 4-3-3. The training changed, as well as pre-season – everything was with the ball. You talk about where we are now, but I think he started that, if you look back maybe seven years ago.
“We owe Roberto a lot for what he did here.”
http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/britton-everton-h-1247182.aspx?#0DUlTXjw3fYjZaHT.99
Analysis
Even more so than the Man City game, this is one match I'm really not confident about. Everton are absolutely on fire, and with Lukaku leading the line they'll be confident of scoring against any team. Whether Ash and whichever Spanish compadré he lines up with can stop the Belgian from finding the net will be fairly crucial in deciding the result of the match.
I'm hopeful Leon will return to the team, but the form of Canas may see him take up a position on the bench. Whoever plays in the centre (and that includes Shelvey, JDG & Poz) will have to be on their game as Barry, McCarthy & Barkley form a cohesive unit who seem to have already forged a brilliant understanding, and the game at the Liberty will prove a stern test of their footballing credentials.
Hopefully Bony will find some form (and the back of the net) and trouble Jagielka & Distin, but I'm going to buck my trend of "always predict a Swansea win" by saying, hopefully, that we'll draw this one. With the joint-best defence sitting behind an effective football midfield, and in turn the midfield operating behind Lukaku, I think Everton would be more than a match for most football sides.
Fingers crossed, but I'm not expecting anything come 6pm on Sunday.