EA Sports bring us the statistics as Saints strive to win at Goodson Park four the fist time in almost twenty years
Everton are hitting good form at just the right time, as we enter into the run-in to the Barclays Premier League season. Roberto Martinez’s men have won back-to-back games and will look to keep that run going with a third victory in a row that could see them climb two places to 11th in the table.
The Toffees will be looking for another sterling performance from their ever dependable left back, Leighton Baines. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that the England international has once again proven himself both defensively and offensively this season, winning 42 tackles, 77.8% of his overall attempts, and also racking up eight assists. It is no wonder he is Everton’s leading man in terms of setting up goals, having completed a squad best 20 crosses, a tally that he will look to add to this weekend.
In the middle of the park, Gareth Barry quietly goes about his work and is a vital part of this Everton team. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has covered a squad best 275.79km this term, helping him to compile another squad-best 60 tackles, 63.1% of his overall attempts. He has also shown that he is key to Everton’s forward play, dictating the tempo of matches having completed a squad best 763 passes in the opposition area and completing 86.2% of his overall passes.
Ahead of Barry, Steven Naismith has really found his feet in the league this season, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Naismith has managed to find the net seven times already this term from just 11 shots on target, meaning he has converted 63.6% of those chances. He is 29/10 to score anytime this weekend with 888sport.com.
Southampton took all three points for the second time in three matches with a 2-0 victory over Burnley in their last outing, and they will be looking to turn their run into 10 points from a possible 12. Sixth placed Southampton currently sit six points off the Champions League places, and will hope to halve that deficit with a victory that will also see them leapfrog fifth placed Liverpool.
Last week saw Southampton put on a brave face having lost their man mountain of a keeper, Fraser Forster. However, Kelvin Davis put on his gloves and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he made three saves in his 76-minute clean sheet. Both he and the Southampton fans will hope that he can keep a second clean sheet in a row this weekend, to help deliver all three points for the Saints.
At the back, Jose Fonte will be looking to protect the Southampton keeper as he leads the line. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has covered a squad best 190.08km so far this campaign, also winning 60 tackles, 83.3% of his overall total. On top of that, he has also racked up 150 clearances, 85 interceptions and 17 blocks and will hope to add to all of those respective tallies to keep the Toffees at bay.
Up top, Graziano Pelle will be looking to add to his eight goals for the season, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows how he goes about his business. Pelle has shown that getting a large quantity of shots off on goal is the key to his success, having hit the target 29 times already this season, and that is how he will go about searching for his ninth goal for the season this weekend. He is 2/1 to score anytime this weekend with 888sport.com.