Everton travel to Stoke in scintillating form after winning three straight and look to make it six unbeaten at the Britannia on Wednesday.
Stoke’s home form
Stoke away is a fixture most teams don’t look forward to. Just ask Manchester United. The Red Devils failed to beat Stoke on January 21, taking a share of the spoils in the 1-1 draw.
The Potters haven’t lost in five home games, their last defeat at the Britannia coming against Bournemouth in the middle of December. Stoke have won two and drawn three during the streak, outscoring their opponents 7-3 while keeping three clean sheets.
They have the ability to grind out results at home, often playing a no-nonsense, direct style of play. They don’t mind both teams going a full 90 minutes without chances, so long as the match remains closely contested.
They aren’t particularly impressive on either side of the ball, scoring 28 goals and conceding 34 in 22 matches thus far. But those stats are a bit misleading as most of their worst results have come away from the Britannia. Of the 34 goals conceded, the Potters have allowed only 14 at home.
The Potters offence, however, isn’t that prolific at home, scoring as many goals at home as on their travels.
What Everton need to do to win
The Toffees are playing full of confidence and need to do exactly what they’ve been doing in recent weeks. Starting well is half the battle. While dominating possession rarely translates into wins, Everton will dictate the match if they keep hold of the ball. That is crucial against the Potters, though Everton must be on full alert from Stoke set pieces.
The Toffees midfield is once again key to the team’s success on Wednesday. Idrissa Gueye is back from the Africa Cup of Nations but won’t feature on Wednesday. That means Davies should start with Ross Barkley and either Gareth Barry or Morgan Schneiderlin.
They’ll also have the responsibility of silencing Joe Allen, Stoke’s leading goal scorer. Mark Hughes has Allen playing in a more advanced role this season, which has suited the Englishman well. Allen has five Premier League goals and is integral in most Stoke City attacks.
Next: Ronald Koeman's pre-match Stoke press conference
Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman will once again be responsible for covering the length of the pitch, protecting the three central defenders while also offering offensive support.
Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori must shutdown Peter Crouch’s aerial threat for Everton to make it four clean sheets on the trot. That shouldn’t be too difficult considering how well Everton’s defence is playing.