Everton v Stoke

By Conor McNamara
BBC Match of the Day commentator

TEAM NEWS

Everton could be boosted for Sunday’s visit of Stoke by the return of three key players.

Sylvain Distin and Phil Neville are in contention after respective groin and hamstring injuries, while Jack Rodwell could overcome a rib problem.

Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson remains a doubt with the knee and calf problems that forced him to miss Thursday’s Europa League tie against Dynamo Kiev.

Jonathan Woodgate, who was ineligible for that match, returns to the squad.

MATCH PREVIEW

With the football community mourning Gary Speed’s passiing, his memory will be especially reflected upon at Goodison Park. As well as making 65 appearances for the club in the mid-1990s, Everton was the team Speed supported as a boy.

Speed left for Newcastle midway through the 1997/98 season and Everton missed him immediately – the club avoided relegation that year on goal difference alone.

With just over a third of the current campaign played, Everton go into this weekend’s fixtures in the top half of the table and are seeking three consecutive league wins for the first time in almost two years.

It says a lot about Everton that their top scorer this campaign is a teenager who joined the club in January, and so far has made just one start for the club. Apostolos Vellios came off the bench against Bolton last weekend to grab his third goal of the season. Meanwhile, Tim Cahill’s barren run continues. Once among Everton’s most regular scorers, he is now into his 12th month without a league goal.

Due to their Europa League commitments, Stoke have now played nine games more than Everton this season. The 3-1 win over Blackburn last weekend stopped the rot of a four-match losing streak in the top flight. However, the three goals were the only shots on target that Tony Pulis’s team managed in the entire game.

Expect to see some cleanly-shaven upper lips at Goodison for this one. Stoke, in particular, were responsible for several of Movember’s more questionable moustaches.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Everton are unbeaten in their last seven home matches against Stoke (W5, D2) since a 1-0 defeat in April 1981.
• Stoke beat Everton for the first time since 1982 when they last met, on New Year’s Day 2011. Kenwyne Jones and a Phil Jagielka own goal

Everton

• Everton are vying to win three successive league matches for the first time in 22 months.
• They have twice come from behind to win this season – a record matched only by Arsenal.
• Seven of their 15 league goals have been scored in the last 10 minutes of matches.
• Tim Cahill has gone 21 league games without a goal, his worst run since joining Everton in July 2004. His last goal came against Manchester City on 20 December last year.

Stoke

• Stoke ended a run of four consecutive defeats with last weekend’s 3-1 home victory over Blackburn.
• They have lost their last four away matches in the league.
• Eight of Stoke’s 13 Premier League goals this season have come from set pieces.
• The Potters have conceded 15 goals in their last five league matches.
• Tony Pulis’s side have not won a game after conceding the opening goal this season (D2, L5),