Everton have the Premier League's 'toughest run' to come over the winter period

Everton are currently in limbo once again, struggling with their form and they are set to face an unforgiving period over Christmas.

According to the Opta Index, Everton have the most difficult next 10 matches in the Premier League with their opponents averaging a rating of 92 out of 100. The other two teams to have a similar level is Leicester City, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Southampton. Whereas the best runs, or the ‘easiest’ runs, are set to be had by Chelsea, Brighton, Wolves, Arsenal and Bournemouth.

For Sean Dyche, he will want to rediscover the type of form that saw his side go five unbeaten before they ran into trouble against Southampton before the international break. A lot rides on getting players back into the side such as Jarrad Branthwaite who has managed just two league starts so far.

Looking at their fixtures, Everton are set to face top sides including Manchester United (A) Liverpool (H) Arsenal (A) Chelsea (H) Manchester City (A) and Aston Villa (H) which they will begin as heavy underdogs across all those encounters. In terms of those exact games last season, they recorded a points total of seven out of a possible 18 - that is surely a figure they would take right now.

Outside of that, there are the more winnable games. Brentford at Goodison Park is the first game after the international break and it will see them take on a side who they haven’t lost to since May 2022. While Thomas Frank’s side have impressed they have also conceded 10 goals in five games in all competitions and will certainly give up chances. After that, they face United before welcoming strugglers Wolves to Goodison. That stands as a game they will be favoured to win but Gary O’Neil’s side also possess quality and will hope their luck can turn around against a team they defeated last season.

The final two games come against Nottingham Forest at home, a team who have developed this season and gone up another level, who will bring plenty of angst from last season’s hugely controversial game at Goodison Park where Everton edged the victory but survived a few penalty calls in order to do so. However, they face them at the end of this 10-game winter period and it could result in Forest experiencing a difficult run of form given their smaller squad.

Then there’s Bournemouth away, another team Everton have competed against well in recent years. Having beaten them 3-0 last season and lost narrowly away, they were two-nil up in the 83rd minute earlier this season and somehow threw away their lead. Expect there to be a revenge mission undertaken by Dyche’s side for that one.