Evertonvs.Brentford

The Bees are also in high spirits at present and are seeking to claim back-to-back away victories in the top flight for the first time this season.

Match preview

Amidst what has been a turbulent campaign for Everton both on and off the pitch, the Goodison Park faithful have had plenty to cheer about so far this month, as the Toffees have won each of their last three home games by an aggregate score of 5-0 to significantly boost their hopes of survival.

Sean Dyche's side followed up victories over relegation-threatened duo Burnley and Nottingham Forest with a memorable 2-0 home win against arch rivals Liverpool on Wednesday, with goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealing their first Merseyside derby triumph on home soil for 14 years, denting the Reds' title ambitions in the process.

Everton remain 16th in the table, but they have moved eight points clear of the relegation zone having accumulated 10 points across their last five matches; Dyche's men need to claim at least five more points, at the time of writing, from their remaining four fixtures to guarantee Premier League football for next season.

The Toffees have three favourable-looking fixtures on the horizon, with Saturday's clash against Brentford followed by encounters with 18th-placed Luton Town and basement club Sheffield United; they also have a trip to title contenders Arsenal on the final day, but Dyche's men will hope to have secured their top-fight status by then.

After beating Brentford 3-1 in the reverse fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium in September last year, Everton are looking to complete just their second league double over the Bees, previously doing so back in the 1952-53 campaign when they were competing in the second tier.

Like Everton, Brentford have enjoyed a timely upturn in form in recent weeks and have picked up nine points during a five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, including back-to-back wins over Sheffield United and Luton.

After running out comfortable winners by a 2-0 scoreline at home against the Blades, the Bees secured their biggest ever top-flight away victory when they put Luton to the sword 5-1 at Kenilworth Road last weekend, scoring at least five goals on the road for the first time in their 160th such game in the top tier.

Yoane Wissa's first-half brace was followed by second-half strikes from Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter and Kevin Schade to help Thomas Frank's side move 10 points clear of the relegation zone with only four games left to play.

Victory for Brentford on Saturday would secure their top-flight status for a fourth successive season, but success is not a given for the Bees as they have only come out on top in three of their last eight meetings with Everton in all competitions, losing their last two in the Premier League.

Everton Premier League form:

L

D

W

L

W

W

Brentford Premier League form:

L

D

D

D

W

W

Team News

Everton will be without Nathan Patterson (hamstring), Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli (both groin) Lewis Dobbin (ankle) and Beto (concussion) due to injury, while Dyche has said that Vitalii Mykolenko is "unlikely" to feature after he was forced off with an ankle problem against Liverpool.

Dyche has also revealed that Calvert-Lewin played through illness in midweek, but the striker - who scored in the reverse fixture against Brentford - is in contention to retain his place in attack along with wingers Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison.

Idrissa Gueye should have shaken off a knock in time to play in midfield, but Amadou Onana is waiting in the wings should his services be required, while Ashley Young could either start at left-back in the expected absence of Mykolenko or compete with Ben Godfrey for a start at right-back.

As for Brentford, Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry (both knee), Ben Mee (ankle) and Aaron Hickey (thigh) all remain sidelined, while Everton loanee Neal Maupay is ineligible to face his parent club.

Ivan Toney has missed the last two games with a hip injury, but he took part in a small-sided game in training on Thursday and Frank is hopeful that the striker will be available for selection on Saturday.

Kevin Schade has contributed with a goal and an assist in his last two appearances since recovering from a long-term groin injury, and the German is set to battle with Lewis-Potter for a start in attack alongside Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Harrison, Garner, Onana, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin

Brentford possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Reguilon; Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Wissa, Lewis-Potter

We say: Everton 2-1 Brentford

None of the last 10 Premier League meetings between these two teams at Goodison Park have ended as a draw, but a closely-fought contest between two evenly-matches sides could be on the cards this weekend.

Having said that, Everton have looked strong on home soil recently and if they can replicate their performance levels from midweek, they may just do enough to edge past Brentford and move one step closer to Premier League survival.

Previews by email