Preview: Everton vs Blackburn  Premier League 15/04/2011




Premier League match time returns to Goodison Park with Everton set to host Blackburn in match week 33 on Saturday, March 19, in the second of a two-legged contest.

The first, hosted by Blackburn on August 14, 2010, ended 1-0 in the hosts’ favour. Kalinic profited from a blunder by Tim Howards between the Everton posts to score the solitary goal of the match on 14 minutes, and that was sufficient for Blackburn to bank three points from the game. Howards lost his grip on the ball as he tried to intercept a header from E Diouf, and Kalinic was on the spot to grab the opportunity. Allardyce’s winning tactic of using Phil Jones as a defensive midfielder paid off handsomely on the day.
Blackburn also had missed chances with the chief culprits being M Diouf and Nzonzi who came in to replace an injured Dunn, in the midfield.
Blackburn were boosted by playing at home, an advantage that saw them finishing in the top ten the previous season, though four months earlier, Everton had managed to beard Blackburn in their own den, prevailing 3-2 in their previous encounter at Ewood Park.
Though Everton’s Pienaar, Arteta and Cahill called the shots in midfield, Blackburn weren’t in a mood to take it lying down.
Head to head, Everton have established an 8-7 advantage over Blackburn in the last 20 league games played between the sides, with the remaining 5 matches drawn.
In their last 10 league games, Everton have registered 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses; Blackburn have won one of their last 10, while losing 5 and drawing the remaining 4. Of their 16 home games this season, Everton have won 6, drawn 7 and lost 3, while Blackburn have won 3 of their 16 games on the road, while losing 11 and drawing the remaining 2.
In match week 32, Everton won 3-0 away against Wolves, while Blackburn drew 1-1 against Birmingham, at home.
On current form, Everton enjoy an edge, not least because of the privilege of playing before their home fans. But Blackburn will be boosted by Everton’s tendency to play better against marquee teams and not as well against mid- and lower-table sides.
Everton’s starting eleven against Wolves had the following players: Howard, Hibbert, Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Gueye, Neville, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Osman and Beckford. Forshaw, Vellios and Anichebe played as substitutes.
Blackburn had the following men in their starting eleven against Birmingham: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Jones, Jones, Pederson, Dunn, Hiolett and Santa Cruz. Mwaruwari, Emerton and Roberts were used as substitutes.