‘Big Six’ critics Everton visit Arsenal in what could be a tastier Friday night football in the boardroom than on the pitch. Michael Beardmore has best bets.
Football betting tips: Arsenal v Everton
2pts Everton or Draw double chance at Evens (General)
1pt Richarlison 2+ shots on target at 11/4 (Sky Bet)
Tarnishing the reputation of the game. Acting entirely in their own interests. Choosing to disrespect every other club. Betraying football supporters. Secretly conspiring. Preposterous arrogance.
Not our words. Or even yours, the fans. Although I’m sure they could be representative. But, no, they are Everton’s. The Toffees really did not mince their words about the European Super League.
Now, just days later, after the so called 'Big Six' backtracked, Everton visit one of the targets of their vitriolic verbiage as they head to The Emirates to take on Arsenal on Friday Night Football.
There will be no love lost in the boardroom then but there’s no market on fisticuffs breaking out in the corporate seats, so we’ll have to focus on what happens on the pitch instead.
Arsenal's injury woes pile up
Both sides, each just inside the top ten and separated by only three points, have hardly been impressive in recent weeks, Arsenal ranging from adequate to awful, Everton winless in six.
Arsenal are a shade of odds-on across the board but I really think they are worth taking on here, especially with the injuries they have picked up in recent weeks and with them having one eye on their looming Europa League semi-final clash - a competition which offers them a route into the Champions League.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, David Luiz, Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard are all either definite absentees or doubts – and that’s a fair chunk of the Gunners’ first choice XI.
Everton showed flashes of their best in last Friday night’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham and could be boosted by the return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the trip south.
The Toffees’ away record this season is excellent, only three defeats in 15 and just one in their past 11 (at Chelsea). They have won at Liverpool, Leeds, Wolves, Leicester and Tottenham among others.
Arsenal are winless in four at home, losing to Olympiakos and being held by Fulham and Slavia Prague. Add in those injuries, and the DOUBLE CHANCE EVERTON OR DRAW at even money is huge.
Would you rather have flaky Arsenal onside at odds-on or both of the other two outcomes in your pocket at even money? When you put it like that, the bookies' prices for this one amaze me.
Richarlison to hit the target
With so many questions hanging over the fitness of a number of attacking players heading into this one, the goalscorer markets are trickier to assess than they might normally be.
The 7/2 on Richarlison to score anytime and the 11/2 on offer for Gylfi Sigurdsson to do the same both appeal, as does the 7/2 on Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka to find the net at any stage.
But the price that stands out to me is the 11/4 on RICHARLISON TO HAVE 2+ SHOTS ON TARGET with Sky Bet.
Since joining the Toffees, the Brazilian averages roughly one shot on target per game and he has registered two or more in three of his past four matches, the goalless draw at Brighton the only aberration.
When you look at the same bet for other players – 9/4 Saka, 7/4 Nicolas Pepe, 5/6 Gabriel Martinelli, 2/1 Calvert-Lewin – the 11/4 on Richarlison, who is surely certain to start, looks large.
He’s gone through a mini goal drought recently, failing to score in his past six, but has still been having a go so the price on him to test Bernd Leno twice is more appealing than the scoring market.
Arsenal v Everton best bets and score prediction
- Everton or draw double chance at Evens (General)
- Richarlison 2+ shots on target at 11/4 (Sky Bet)
Score prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Everton (Sky Bet odds: 11/2)
Odds correct at 1300 BST (21/04/21)
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