After the gritty 0-0 draw at Chelsea two weekend’s ago, Everton return to Premier League action with a home game against a struggling Cardiff City.
It’s been a while since these sides least met in the league and on paper this match looks like the proverbial home banker for Everton. But it might not be quite so straightforward.
Although the South Wales club have had a tough time since they returned to the top flight this season, they have been signs recently they have begun to improve and are beginning to get to grips with the Premier League.
Cardiff have managed two wins in their last four matches sandwiching either side of two other losses.
Importantly for Neil Warnock’s side those two wins included a first of the season against fellow strugglers Fulham and then Brighton. It’s an old maxim that you have a better chance of survival if you can beat the sides around you.
However both those victories were at home and their next opponents are not one of those club’s battling relegation.
Even so Everton need to be wary of the Bluebirds on Saturday.
Cardiff will inevitably look to defend in numbers and hope to feed off any scraps up front when they do get forward.
As with any Warnock side they try to frustrate the opposition and will almost certainly come to Everton seeking a point first and foremost.
They don’t offer a great deal in attack and are not likely to create too many opportunities in front of goal. Although in Josh Murphy they have a young forward who is dangerous and who looks like he could be a Premier League quality player.
But again with one of his sides, Warnock’s Cardiff do have height and power at set-pieces and the Blues are still not convincing in that department.
Having said all that this is a game that the Toffees should, and indeed really must, win.
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Because after this match Everton have two tough away fixtures, first at Anfield for the Merseyside derby and then they face a trip to league leaders Manchester City.
Given the Blues recent away record against both Liverpool, (where Everton have not won since 1999!), and Manchester City those are not games that Evertonians will likely expect much from.
The Toffees home form has been good though overall this season and so another win at Goodison Park should be a more than realistic expectation.