The Cherries have won four and drawn two of their six home games against the Merseysiders since their first meeting with them in the 2015/16 season.
Goals from Marcus Tavernier, Kieffer Moore and Jaidon Anthony gave the Cherries a 3-0 home win in the league last season, four days after knocking them out of the Carabao Cup.
Since avenging with a 3-0 win over the Cherries at Goodison Park in October, the Toffees have had fluctuating fortunes in the Premier League.
Sean Dyche won six of his next nine games, beating West Ham (1-0), Crystal Palace (3-2), Nottingham Forest (1-0), Newcastle (3-0), Chelsea (2-0) and Burnley. (2-0).
However, since their triumph over Dyche’s former club at Turf Moor in December, the Toffees are 11 games without a win in the most sensible flight and will avoid the ignominy of equalling their longest winless run in the Premier League era when they meet. cherries.
That race saw them drop to 16th in the table, with 4 points above the relegation zone deducted from six (reduced to 10 after a successful appeal) for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash, afcb. co. uk spoke to Chris Beesley, who covers the Toffees’ fortunes for the Liverpool Echo.
EVERTON PROFILE
Founded: 1878
Land: Goodison Park
Nickname: The Toffees
Appearances record: Neville Southall – 751 (1981-98)
Top scorer: Dixie Dean – 383 in 433 games
Manager: Sean Dyche (appointed January 2023)
Club Captain: Séamus Coleman
Championship Standing: 16
Top scorer: Abdoulaye Doucouré (six in the Premier League, pictured below)
Last match: Manchester United 2 Everton 0 (Premier League)
afcb. co. uk: How would you consider its current form?
CB: They desperately want a win. They have gone 11 Premier League games without a win, dating back to before Christmas, when they won 2-0 at Burnley on Sean Dyche’s return to Turf Moor.
They haven’t played too badly in that era and that’s why I think it’s different to the last few days with Rafa Benitez and Frank Lampard, who had disappointing runs towards the end of their respective terms when they lost a lot of games.
They’ve been in games and at times felt dissatisfied, but they desperately need a win and have gone more than a quarter of a season in the Premier League without a win.
afcb. co. uk: What is the effect of deducting points on the team?
CB: It must have had an effect at first. The first game that followed was a 3-0 loss to Manchester United and that took their breath away. United took the lead from the start, and it was difficult.
But then they responded with 4 straight wins in December, which galvanized the team early on and generated a mentality of us opposed to the world.
But, little by little, I think they have been wearing out. Sean Dyche says he’s very proud of the way the players treated everything, calling it the “noise” off the field.
I think they’ve been really tired in terms of their functionality on the pitch this season.
Despite the bad run they have been going through lately, they would still be out of danger of relegation, which is an improvement over the last two years.
They would be 14th with no deduction issues, even though they have had a long winless streak.
I think it affected them in terms of their position on the field, what they achieved and the truth of where they are in the standings, even with the issues that brought them back the appeal.
afcb. co. uk: Summing up Sean Dyche’s tenure to date?
CB: A huge improvement over the two years prior to your arrival, when you were at an all-time low.
I think he’s the best player for Everton and he’s still in very difficult circumstances. He’s rediscovered the fighting spirit that I think Everton needs, especially when things are down like they are at the moment.
But they’re bothered by all those off-field issues, which have affected their spending and what they can do for the team.
In short, I would say that he is performing a very smart task in very complicated cases and I dare recommend that others could have done better.
But the post-Christmas era is very difficult, at least in terms of results.
afcb. co. uk: Can you tell us about Arnaut Danjuma (pictured above)?
CB: Mercurial.
He has been injured lately and will not be able to play at Bournemouth, which is disappointing as he started very promising and scored a couple of goals.
It looked like he was going to Everton in January last year and would have made it all the way to Crewe station before turning around and joining Tottenham Hotspur at 11am.
But once Everton received his current request this summer, he wanted to impress a lot of people in terms of personality and how he was looking to lead his career at Everton.
But he found himself on the edge and then had the misfortune of injury after the 0-0 draw at Fulham at the end of January. I think it’s going to be some time before we see him again.
He was probably disappointed by the lack of time to play before he got injured.
afcb. co. uk: What’s new in your new stadium?
CB: It’s all good. That’s the most positive thing about Everton. The monetary default is due in part to the money earmarked for the stadium, which is unfortunate, but sounds spectacular.
I live on the other side of the Mersey, in New Brighton (across the water, as they say in Merseyside slang) and I see it every day.
Structurally, it is the ultimate building on the Mersey waterfront.
Externally, the stadium is already finished and the interior wants to be fitted out: seats, conversion rooms, etc.
But from the outside it already looks like a football stadium. It looks wonderful as part of Liverpool’s seafront, overlooking the Mersey and that’s by far the biggest positive aspect of the club at the moment.
afcb. co. uk: Who is your rising star?
CB: Jarrad Branthwaite (pictured above).
He has been Everton’s star of the season in tricky cases on the pitch.
He has been just another player since returning from a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven last season.
He signed through his local club, Carlisle United, as a teenager and enjoyed a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers before heading to the Netherlands.
He seemed far from a normal Premier League player at this stage, but he’s an absolute revelation.
He came into the third game of the season against Wolves after Michael Keane was sent off and missed just one game through suspension.
At 6 feet five inches tall, he’s a mountain guy and he’s only 21 years old. He’s comfortable with both feet, he’s confident in his property and established Premier League forwards have bounced off him all season.
If he continues on this trajectory and as long as Everton are not forced to sell him due to the monetary situation, it is no exaggeration to say that he can keep Declan Rice and Jack Grealish and some other £100 million English player.
afcb. co. uk: Are any key Cherries players injured or suspended?
CB: There’s no suspension.
Arnaut Danjuma (ankle) is still out and his form is good, as long as everyone goes through the international matches.
Dele Alli (groin) has been out for a long time and will not play, while Idrissa Gueye (pictured above) was injured before the international break and will remain doubtful.
afcb. co. uk: How do you see this and what is your score prediction?
CB: I’ll be for Everton.
Not only do they have to win, they have to win at Bournemouth. They beat them in the FA Cup, but they never won there in the Premier League.
I don’t forget Everton’s first game against Bournemouth in the Premier League, it was that modest 3-3 draw. Everton had the idea that they had won it and maybe ended up squandering it.
I’m going to take a risk and be positive from Everton’s point of view and say 1-0.
You can Chris on X (formerly Twitter) – @CBeesleyEcho
Officials: Sam Barrott (referee), Lee Betts (assistant), Nick Hopton (assistant), John Busby (fourth official), Michael Oliver (VAR).