Nabil Fekir Lyon Everton Europa League

Olympique Lyonnais v Everton Betting: Toffees to crash out of Europa League with demoralising defeat in France

Everton will face an embarrassing early exit from the Europa League should they lose in France against Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday night.

The Toffees have taken just one point from their opening three Group E games and will crash out of the competition if they fail to avoid defeat against Bruno Genesio's men.

Lyon will provide stiff opposition, for the French side were winners in the reverse fixture - 2-1 at Goodison Park earlier this month, in what proved to be Ronald Koeman's penultimate match in charge of Everton - and, with a place in the last 32 of the competition within reach, Genesio's side will be in confident mood.

Article continues below
Gylfi Sigurdsson Everton

The hosts are chalked up as SportPesa's 20/39 (1.52) favourites to inflict yet more misery upon the men from Merseyside, while the same firm go 33/10 (4.30) that the match ends in a draw - a result that would, in truth, be of little use to Everton.

The Toffees have endured a dreadful run of results in recent months having won just two of their last 15 matches in all competitions, and the departure of Ronald Koeman as manager has made no discernible difference thus far, with David Unsworth defeated in his two matches as interim manager - against Chelsea and Leicester City respectively - and SportPesa go 21/4 (6.25) that the Toffees claim a famous win in this one.

Everton failed to find the net in their defeat against the Foxes on Sunday - only the second time in nine matches that the men from Merseyside have failed to score - and with confidence in the camp low, SportPesa offer 13/10 (2.30) that the visitors draw a blank here, while the same firm go 8/5 (2.60) that Lyon win without conceding.

Lyon Everton graphic

There were goals at both ends, of course, when these two teams met on Merseyside and SportPesa go 10/13 (1.77) that both teams find the net again on this occasion, while the odds compilers offer 15/2 (8.50) that the 2-1 scoreline from the previous meeting is repeated here; SportPesa's 2/3 (1.67) quote for more than two goals to scored could prove popular, while the same firm go 23/20 (2.15) that there are fewer than three goals.

Everton's lack of confidence is a huge concern ahead of this clash and it is questionable whether the Toffees can shake off the gloom surrounding themselves to claim a vital victory against their Ligue 1 opponents.

Lyon were deserving winners two weeks ago in the reverse fixture and Genesio's charges can underline their superiority with a win in this one; Everton have failed to find the net in six of their last nine losses in all competitions and, so, SportPesa's 8/5 (2.60) quote for Lyon to win to nil may be a solid selection here.

  SportPesa footer
Advertisement