Here are 10 things you should know about Everton and Arsenal prior to kick-off tonight:
1. David Moyes is gunning for a top-four finish once again, and his team looks capable of achieving the feat if they can continue to pick up points – their opponents are one point behind in sixth, so this one could prove to be critical for Everton.
2. The Toffees will be confident based on the fact they’re yet to lose at Goodison Park this season. Only Manchester City and Stoke City can make the same boast.
3. Leighton Baines has put in 64 crosses this season, more than any other player – he’ll be looking to put Wojciech Szczesny under pressure with more on Wednesday.
4. Steven Naismith struck for a second successive game against Norwich, and is playing well. With an 85.7 percent rate of accuracy (six on target and just one off target this season), he’s been Everton’s sharpest shooter this season.
5. Marouane Fellaini will be looking to convert some of his strong away form this season into home performances. With an average points score of 19, he’s the only Everton player in the league’s top ten according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
6. Arsenal lacked a cutting edge at Aston Villa last weekend, failing to score for the fourth time in the Premier League this season. There are plenty of reasons for fans to be cheerful however, and the team will head into this tie buoyed by the fact that they’ve only lost one home game in the league this season.
7. Possession football appears to be the team’s preferred method this season, and has worked well. For six of their last seven games, Arsenal have recorded more than 50% of possession. Santi Cazorla has been a key part of this success, playing more successful passes than any of his team-mates this season (576 or just under one every two minutes).
8. Theo Walcott has had to work hard to get starts for Arsenal this season, but is the current league leader for the rate at which he’s notched up assists. With four at an average rate of one every 115 minutes, no other player has set up goals as efficiently.
9. Arsenal have scored 16 goals at The Emirates in six league matches so far, at a rate of just under one every 34 minutes. Only Manchester United have been more deadly at home, striking once every 30 minutes on average.
10. The Gunners also have the best away defensive record in the league this season. Five goals conceded in seven games equates to one every 126 minutes.
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