Everton

Michael Keane is restored to Everton's starting XI, as manager Frank Lampard makes one enforced change for Wednesday's Premier League meeting with Watford.

Lampard sticks with the front three of Richarlison, playing at the home of the club he left for Everton in summer 2018, Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray. He is partnered by Abdoulaye Doucoure in the centre of midfield. Defender Keane replaced the stricken Yerry Mina during the opening half of the win over Leciester City on Sunday. And he comes into the team at Vicarage Road as part of a likely back three, also featuring Mason Holgate and captain Seamus Coleman.

In a game low on chances, Ben Foster's late save from Vitalii Mykolenko ensured Watford drew 0-0 with Everton.

Lampard then had reason to look relieved when only a last-ditch tackle from Séamus Coleman prevented a Watford breakaway. Denied the services of Yerry Mina, Lampard recalled Michael Keane at the heart of his five-man defence and he almost gifted Watford an early lead, miscuing a clearance after Jordan Pickford had given possession away. But despite the confidence-boosting wins over Chelsea and Leicester Everton never really looked like finding a way past Ben Foster even when Lampard threw on Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the last 15 minutes and it was Watford’s fans who greeted the final whistle with glee.

Relegated Watford ended a run of 11 straight home defeats when they held Everton to a goalless draw in a poor Premier League encounter at Vicarage Road on ...

"We're happy to go back to our home support. "We understand the situation. "We know you can't just turn up and get three points.

Everton took their unbeaten run to three games in a row after managing a 0-0 draw against Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday (11 May).

He produced a superb dummy in the first half and looked lively once again. He came close to scoring in the second half but his effort was saved by Ben Foster. He was one of the poor performers out there in the first half. He was a constant threat from the right hand side and produced a brilliant pass for Gray, but he couldn’t hit the target. He miscued a half chance inside the box in the first half, but looked dangerous throughout. He hardly had to make a proper save in the first half.

Frank Lampard made just one change from the win at Leicester with Michael Keane coming in for the injured Yerry Mina. Bringing in Allan for Fabian Delph could ...

The game just got bogged down though into a scrappy mess. Everton did wake up in the second half. The travelling Toffees once again arrived in great number and in great voice, following on from Sunday’s game at the King Power. But in a game where they are expected to take the initiative, it didn’t really work. With Watford already relegated a number of home fans decided to give this a miss, meaning there were plenty of empty seats as the game began at Vicarage Road - in the home section at least. I would have taken four points from these two away games, but after the win at Leicester it feels like they have blown a chance to all but secure safety.

Watford take on Everton at Vicarage Road this evening (May 11, 7.45pm KO) in the top-flight, as Roy Hodgson faces Frank Lampard in the dugouts.

Everton match analysis from Adam Jones after a frustrating draw with Watford at Vicarage Road.

But, he'll be absolutely desperate to get back on the pitch as soon as possible and get on the scoresheet. It had been quite clear Everton needed a target man with the manner in which they were attacking, and so the change made sense. He had 87 touches throughout his time on the pitch, 20 more than anyone else who took to the field in royal blue. Throughout the 90 minutes he gave Adam Masina a torrid time in constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he was marauding down the flank again. Add in one each in clearances and interceptions and his display really takes on a new light. But, if you're the manager, do you roll the dice and go for a three points that could have a huge impact on the fight against relegation? Everton were handed more possession than they had been granted in their previous two matches, and they struggled to knit things together in the final third with the system they had. Everton are not blessed with having picked up a lot of points away from home this season, and if they changed their system midway through this match it could easily have knocked them off their stride somewhat. Of course, you can never rule out individual errors at the back either, so there's that to factor into the mix. When the Blues' dangerous players did pick up possession and drove at the Watford defence, they didn't have the quality to cause them much problems. You could maybe keep the same personnel as the previous game, barring the necessary change of Michael Keane coming in for the injured Yerry Mina of course. Would they stick with what had been working in recent matches, or switch it up for a different opponent?

Watford 0-0 Everton: There were certainly no winners here - but with Leeds losing at home to Chelsea, a point takes Frank Lampard's side two clear of the ...

Anthony Gordon and Richarlison, formerly of yellow and black, were the most direct, as ever, and Gordon’s breaks down the right should have amounted to more, particularly the one in which he superbly dummied Ken Sema to sprint free. There was no need to watch the end of a third. For Watford were already down after defeat to Crystal Palace on the weekend, their sixth loss in a row, and many of their players already out. All with a combination of injury and illness, no doubt exacerbated by the premature end to their season and thus their enthusiasm. Watford actually had the better start, shifting the ball back and forth enough to find the odd entry into the box from wide positions. But this was as close as you can get to such a luxury and they refused to take it.

Frank Lampard dismissed any suggestion that Everton had missed an opportunity by drawing with Watford, describing it as a point gained.

"I think if you can't win, you don't lose, and we were more than secure in the game. "For all the talk about pressure, more or less, it's only actions at this point. "There were not enough clear chances.

Chelsea got their Champions League bid back on track and left 10-man Leeds deeper in the relegation mire with a comfortable 3-0 win at Elland Road.

Alex Iwobi found Anthony Gordon on the half-hour, but he was unable to direct his shot goalwards. For Leeds, it was another night to forget. Leicester had let the Canaries off the hook after a bright start but they were still able to carve out chances and Gunn stuck out a leg to keep out Ademola Lookman after excellent work from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Leeds fans were furious, but referee Anthony Taylor had no option. Gunn, in for the dropped Tim Krul, last played Leicester in Southampton’s 9-0 defeat to the Foxes in 2019 and had some demons to exorcise. The striker’s second-half brace and James Maddison’s goal lifted the Foxes to 10th in the Premier League with a 3-0 win. Michael Keane sent a header straight at Foster as Everton edged closer to a breakthrough, but they were unable to find the back of the net and a game lacking in quality finished goalless. Everton looked to be getting closer and almost took the lead in the 62nd minute when they won the ball back in midfield and Iwobi found Demarai Gray but his shot across goal was inches wide of the far post. The Hornets had an opportunity in the eighth minute with a clever passing move, but Samuel Kalu was unable to control the shot and Pickford was able to make the save. Ben Foster was called upon to make his first save of the match early in the second half as he kept out a deflected Richarlison shot that was heading into the back of the net, but the Hornets keeper managed to palm the ball behind. Sunday’s victory at Leicester was Everton’s first on the road in the Premier League since August but they were unable to follow it up with a second as the Hornets recorded their first post-pandemic clean sheet at Vicarage Road. They slumped to a third straight defeat to remain in the bottom three and had a man sent off for the second time in successive matches.

Chances were few and far between for both teams throughout the Hornets' penultimate match on home soil in the 2021/22 Premier League season, with Samuel Kalu ...

Everton transfer news, rumours, gossip and speculation including the latest on Mattias Svanberg, Richarlison, Ben Godfrey, Frank Lampard and more.

Everton were handed more possession than they had been granted in their previous two matches, and they struggled to knit things together in the final third with the system they had. You could maybe keep the same personnel as the previous game, barring the necessary change of Michael Keane coming in for the injured Yerry Mina of course. The Irish Independent claim the 20-year-old will either head out on loan to a higher division next term or leave City on a permanent basis.