Arsenal holds a record of one win in its last 12 games and travels to Goodison Park on Saturday, desperate to stay in the top half. Everton lies 16th and four points below the north Londoners, but Duncan Ferguson has rejuvenated the Toffees after taking four points out of a possible six as interim manager.
Everton vs. Arsenal
When: Saturday, December 21
Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)
The Merseysiders can move within one point of Arsenal and likely drag them into the bottom half if they can win a second time in three games under Ferguson. The Scot was appointed as a temporary replacement for Marco Silva, who was fired at the beginning of December. Ferguson beat Chelsea 3-1 in his debut before drawing 1-1 at Manchester United on Sunday.
Arsenal hasn’t enjoyed quite the same success with its own former player and interim boss Freddie Ljungberg, who won just one of his five matches in charge of the Gunners. Former player Mikel Arteta, who most recently was an assistant coach with Manchester City, was announced as the new manager of Arsenal earlier this week.
Currently ninth in the table, Arsenal is already seven points off the top four approaching the midway point this season, with morale low following Sunday’s 3-0 loss at home to Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne dismantled Ljungberg’s team scoring twice and assisting Raheem Sterling at Emirates Stadium.
Meanwhile, Everton conceded a late Mason Greenwood equalizer after leading for much of the visit to Old Trafford. Theo Walcott and Morgan Schneiderlin remain out of action for Ferguson, as are long-term absentees Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin. Lucas Digne came off in the first half against United and could also be in doubt.
Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka are questionable in midfield, meaning Ljungberg could again look to the likes of Bakayo Saka, 18, Emile Smith Rowe, 19, and Joe Willock, 20, off the bench.
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