Premier League: Toffees and Cottagers Set for New Stadium Showdown

Everton vs Fulham

These are two Premier League sides who, for me, share much in common.

The modern game has largely seen them unable to keep up with counterparts who have more financial backing.

Yet, despite that disadvantage, their proud histories are something money can’t buy, and they are always capable of unsettling any opponent and delivering Premier League 2025 highlights.

For those who disagree, remember both these teams finished above the likes of Man United and Spurs last season, despite possessing a fraction of their respective budgets.

 

Talking Points

This will be the first-ever visit to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium for the Cottagers, and the tide has certainly turned in this fixture in recent seasons. After winning 22 consecutive home league games against Fulham between 1961 and 2018, Everton are now winless in their last four against the Cottagers (drawn one, lost three) on home turf.

Both clubs have been relatively shot-shy so far this season. In fact, three of Fulham’s 12 Premier League goals have been opposition own goals, benefitting from those in their three wins to date. Indeed, own goals are their leading scorer so far, one ahead of Ryan Sessegnon and Harry Wilson (two goals each).

Everton have actually scored two fewer and were finally beaten at home a week and a half ago when Spurs plundered three without reply.

The draw at Sunderland, when they failed to build on their first-half lead, means David Moyes’ side now have one win in eight, although the season-long loan is proving an inspired move and he can always conjure something out of nothing.

Fulham have their own talents, even though manager Marco Silva (formerly of Everton, of course) previously openly expressed his disappointment at the club’s lack of signings ahead of the new campaign.

They needed a pick-me-up after four straight defeats sucked them towards the bottom three, and Wolves obliged as they sealed their third league win of the season (following victories over Leeds and Brentford) last weekend. The trip to Merseyside will prove tougher, but this should be a contest between two well-matched sides.

Both sides are without key defenders this weekend, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Antonee Robinson, who actually came through the Everton academy without making a senior competitive appearance for the club, all absent.

 

History

January 1926 was when these two sides locked horns for the first time, in a third-round FA Cup tie at Goodison Park. The great Dixie Dean scored the Toffees’ goal in a 1-1 draw on that occasion before Fulham won the replay 1-0.

It wasn’t actually until Boxing Day 1949 that they met in the league, again at Goodison, again a 1-1 draw. The sides met three times in 2023-24.

In the corresponding fixture, Bobby Decordova-Reid scored the only goal of the contest to earn the Cottagers an opening-day success.

A League Cup tie at Christmas, also on Merseyside, ended 1-1 with Fulham winning on spot kicks. The return league fixture in west London ended level pegging as the sides played out a goalless draw.

Overall, Everton have 32 victories in this contest, while there have been 24 Fulham successes and 16 draws, the most recent of which came at Goodison Park last season when Beto netted a last-gasp equaliser to prevent Alex Iwobi’s goal from claiming all three points for the Cottagers.

The most recent meeting was at Craven Cottage in May when a Raul Jimenez opener was cancelled out by Vitaliy Mykolenko on the stroke of half-time. Michael Keane and Beto then scored twice quickly in the second half to earn the Toffees a 3-1 win.

 

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League 2025 betting odds give Everton the edge, and they are priced 1X2 @ 2.20 and Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.20, compared to the visitors, who are on offer 1X2 @ 3.10 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 1.98 and 0.00, which is available at an appealing @ 2.44. The draw @ 3.08 has a certain appeal.

For goals, there is also plenty of appeal in bets such as Total Goal 0-1 @ 2.72, 2-3 @ 1.97. 4-6 @ 3.86 and Over 2.50 @ 2.21.

So, which way do you go as Everton drew at Sunderland on Monday night and have been, generally, experiencing good home form, while Fulham will be confident after their ruthless defeat of Wolves last weekend?

A re-run of the meeting on Everton soil last term will pay out @ 5.90 with Correct Score 1-1, but I am plumping for Over 2.50 @ 2.21 tip.

   

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