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Europa League Preview: Everton - BATE Borisov
Toffees looking to end group stages on a high.
Dec 16, 2009 1:30:07 PM
Kick-off: Thursday, December 17, 2009 - 20:05 GMT
Goodison Park, Liverpool
In what is the proverbial ‘dead-rubber,’ Everton meet BATE Borisov on Matchday six of the Europa League with second place in Group I, and thus qualification to the next phase, already secured.
Despite the fact that the Toffees can’t displace Benfica at the top of the group (due to their head-to-head record against the Portuguese side), boss David Moyes will undoubtedly be pressing for a result against BATE following Saturday’s exploits in earning a 3-3 draw at Chelsea.
With a pretty hectic Christmas schedule to come, comprising of three games in eight days, Moyes may take the opportunity to rest a few key players but that could ultimately prove difficult given the club’s rather lengthy injury list.
Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov are already certain to miss out on a place in the knockout phase of the competition although having already secured a league and cup double, they can look forward to a place in the qualifying rounds of next season’s Champions League.
Everton were victorious in the previous meeting between the two sides back in October, coming from behind to win 2-1 courtesy of goals from Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill.
FORM GUIDE
Everton
12 Dec: Chelsea 3-3 Everton (Premier League)
6 Dec: Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)
2 Dec: AEK Athens 0-1 Everton (Europa League)
29 Nov: Everton 0-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
25 Nov: Hull City 3-2 Everton (Premier League)
BATE Borisov
2 Dec: BATE Borisov 1-2 Benfica (Europa League)
27 Nov: FC Minsk 0-2 BATE Borisov (Belarus Cup)
22 Nov: BATE Borisov 1-0 FC Minsk (Belarus Cup)
08 Nov: BATE Borisov 3-0 FC Gomel (Belarus Premier League)
5 Nov: AEK Athens 2-2 BATE Borisov (Belarus Premier League)
TEAM NEWS
Everton
Leon Osman is back in training having suffered a broken foot in October although he is still a few games away from being in contention.
With the likes of Phil Neville (knee), Joseph Yobo (hamstring), Dan Gosling (hamstring) Mikel Arteta (knee), Phil Jagielka (knee), James Vaughan (knee), Sylvain Distin (hamstring) and Victor Anichebe (knee) all still out, Moyes may not be able to rest as many first team regulars as he would have hoped on Thursday evening.
That said, the Toffees boss has called upon a number of young prospects for Thursday's encounter including Seamus Coleman, Jake Bidwell, Adam Forshaw, Hope Akpan, Luke Garbutt, Shkodran Mustafi, James McCarten, Shane Duffy, Jose Baxter and Kieran Agard will all be desperate for the chance to impress.
Possible starting XI: Howard; Garbutt, Duffy, Hibbert, Coleman; Bilyaletdinov, Forshaw, Rodwell, Pienaar; Baxter, Agard.
BATE Borisov
BATE manager Viktor Goncharenko looks set to name a very similar starting XI to the team that narrowly lost out to Benfica in the last group game in Minsk.
Possible starting XI: Veremko; Yurevich, Radzkov, Sosnovsky, Bordachev; Pavlov, Likhtarovich, Valadzko, Nekhaichyk, Krivets; Rodionov.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton – Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
Bilyaletdinov has settled into life on Merseyside pretty impressively following his summer move from Lokomotiv Moscow. The Russian winger has already managed three goals in his relatively short Everton career and looks as though he will prove a decent bit of business for boss David Moyes.
BATE Borisov – Sergei Krivets
Everton fans could be forgiven for not knowing a great deal about their east European opponents but if they’re looking to pinpoint a potential danger man, then Krivets certainly fits the bill. The 23-year-old managed 14 goals from midfield in the Belarusian Premier League this past season and could definitely pose a threat.
PREDICTION
With their immediate fate already decided in the Europa League, both sides have a perfect chance to go out and perform with limited pressure.
BATE will be confident having recently been crowned champions of the Belarussian league for the fourth consecutive season, although Everton should have enough in the tank to claim the three points, even if Moyes does decide to make a few changes.
Everton 2–0 BATE Borisov
Stephen Darwin, Goal.com
Who is the Very Best? Just the coolest world music group right now. They talk about their love of football--Henrik Larsson!--in the DEC/JAN issue of Goal.com Magazine.
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