Everton 2022-23 Premier League Preview
Toffees to finish around mid-table?
Bookmaker Paddy Power
Everton Top-half Finish Odds: 9/4 odds taken 1241 GMT, Saturday 2 July
Everton will want to forget all about the 2021-22 Premier League season. They started well but went on a woeful run, surviving the drop by the skin of their teeth in the end. He had some hairy moments along the way, but new boss Frank Lampard did what he had to do to keep the Toffees in the top flight.
The Goodison Park club will be desperate for a better campaign this time around, and they have enough quality within their ranks to keep themselves well clear of the bottom three. They have recently lost Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, but who will Lampard bring to the blue half of Merseyside this summer? We look back on Everton’s 2021-22 season and look ahead to their upcoming campaign.
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Table of Contents
- 1 2021-22 Review: Toffees sail too close to the wind
- 2 Everton Transfer News: Can they replace Richarlison?
- 3 2022-23 Key Fixtures: Lampard welcomes Chelsea on opening day
- 4 Who Are Everton’s Biggest Challengers: Can Lampard take the Toffees forward?
- 5 Crystal Palace Preview: Palace to build under Vieira?
- 6 Leicester City Preview: Foxes to improve this time around?
- 7 Leeds United Preview: Whites to stay away from bottom three?
- 8 Aston Villa Preview: Big season ahead for Gerrard?
- 9 Wolverhampton Wanderers Preview: Top half again for Lage’s men?
- 10 Southampton Preview: Where will the Saints finish?
- 11 Brighton & Hove Albion Preview: Can the Seagulls seal another top-ten finish?
- 12 Players to Watch Out For in the 2022-23 Season: Big season for Calvert-Lewin & Gordon
- 13 Our Everton Predictions: Merseysiders to secure top-ten finish
2021-22 Review: Toffees sail too close to the wind
Everton started the season well under Rafa Benitez, who made the controversial switch to Goodison last summer. The Toffees were in the UEFA Champions League spots early on, picking up four wins from their opening six fixtures.
After a 2-0 home success over Norwich City on 25th September, Everton were joint second and just one point behind leaders Liverpool. However, the fun stopped there. Benitez would go on to win just one more league game, as the Toffees lost 11 of the following 15 to slip down the table at an alarming rate of knots.
New manager Lampard had a mixed bag of results at the start, but notable wins over Newcastle United, Manchester United and Chelsea built the platform for survival.
They survived in their penultimate match after a stunning comeback victory over Crystal Palace. Lampard’s boys found themselves 2-0 down after 36 minutes, but second-half goals from Michael Keane, Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin turned the game on its head and kept Everton in the Premier League. They finished on 39 points, picking up 11 victories, drawing six times and losing 21.
Everton Key Facts
- Everton are the second-longest serving club in the top tier
- They have been FA Cup winners five times
- The Toffees last won the league back in 1987
- Everton lost 21 league games last term
Everton Transfer News: Can they replace Richarlison?
Everton’s biggest bit of business so far this summer is an outgoing player. Richarlison impressed in the Toffees’ poor campaign last term, and the Brazilian has earned a big-money move away. Tottenham have paid Everton £60m for his services. Fabian Delph, Cenk Tosun, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jonjoe Kenny have all been released.
The Merseysiders are reportedly interested in Jesse Lingard, who has left Manchester United after his contract expired. West Ham United are also keen on the England international. The Toffees are also considering a £20m move for El Bilal Toure, who currently plies his trade in Ligue 1 with Reims.
2022-23 Key Fixtures: Lampard welcomes Chelsea on opening day
Everton kick off their 2022-23 season with a home game against Lampard’s former side Cheslea. They then travel to Aston Villa before hosting Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest. The first Merseyside derby of the campaign will be at Goodison Park in early September.
The reverse fixture with rivals Liverpool is set to take place in February. Their penultimate home game of the season will see champions Manchester City come to Goodison, while Everton end their 2022-23 campaign when Bournemouth visit on 28th May.
Who Are Everton’s Biggest Challengers: Can Lampard take the Toffees forward?
Everton had a miserable 2021-22 season. They made a strong start under Benitez, but a woeful run of one win, three draws and 11 defeats from 15 games saw the Merseysiders slip towards the bottom three. Frank Lampard replaced Benitez in January.
Everton had a few more sticky spells before the season concluded, but they survived after a dramatic comeback win over Crystal Palace in their penultimate game. The Toffees will be hoping to be nowhere near the bottom three this time around. Who are their biggest challengers this season?
Crystal Palace Preview: Palace to build under Vieira?
Patrick Vieira had a fine first season as Crystal Palace boss. Before arriving at Selhurst Park, the Eagles were tipped to struggle, but they certainly proved the doubters wrong. Vieira made some shrewd signings last summer, rebuilding the squad after several players had left. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Crystal Palace will be looking to finish in the top half of the Premier League table this season. At the time of writing, the south London club are available at 7/4 for a top-ten finish.
Leicester City Preview: Foxes to improve this time around?
The 2020-21 season was a memorable one for Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City. The Midlands club beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final to win the tournament for the first time in their history. The Foxes finished fifth in the league, losing out on a place in the top four on the final day for the second season running.
Leicester failed to replicate those heights last season. However, Rodgers is one of the most experienced managers in the Premier League right now, and the Foxes will surely improve on last season’s eighth-place finish. Leicester will be hoping to be in the mix for the European slots this time around.
Leeds United Preview: Whites to stay away from bottom three?
Leeds United were on their way to relegation last season, and the popular Marcelo Bielsa was sacked in February after a 4-0 hammering by Tottenham at Elland Road. Jesse Marsch lost his first two fixtures in charge, but Leeds went on to win three and draw two of the next five.
United survived on the final day after an excellent victory at the Brentford Community Stadium. After finishing ninth in their first year back, the relegation battle was a shock the system. Still, Marsch will be looking to stamp his authority at Elland Road, and Leeds could finish around mid-table this term.
Aston Villa Preview: Big season ahead for Gerrard?
After a solid season, Steven Gerrard is starting to build something at Villa Park. The boss has made some superb signings, with his legendary status as a player allowing him to attract top players to Villa Park – Philippe Coutinho has already arrived from Barcelona this summer.
Many bookies and pundits alike have tipped Aston Villa for a mid-table finish, but can the Midlands outfit sneak into Europe this season?
Wolverhampton Wanderers Preview: Top half again for Lage’s men?
Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolverhampton Wanderers played UEFA Europa League football, reaching the quarter-finals in 2020. They had a mixed 2020-21 campaign, finishing in 13th. However, they improved last term, with new boss Bruno Lage guiding the club to a tenth-place finish in his first year in charge.
Wolves were in the mix for the European spots at stages last season, but the squad ran out of steam in the latter weeks. Nevertheless, if they can get some fresh faces in, Wanderers could be a force to be reckoned with in the race for Europe this season.
Southampton Preview: Where will the Saints finish?
Southampton will want to improve on the last few seasons. They have failed to secure a top-half finish since the 2016-17 campaign, when Claude Puel guided the club to eighth place. The Saints are certainly capable of finishing in the top half this season.
Southampton lived dangerously close to the edge at times last term, and they ended the campaign with a poor run of four straight defeats. Can they improve this time around?
Brighton & Hove Albion Preview: Can the Seagulls seal another top-ten finish?
Brighton & Hove Albion had a very impressive 2021-22 season. Potter has done a superb job at the Amex Stadium since taking over, and the Seagulls were very hard to beat last term. They may have lost Yves Bissouma to Spurs, but with the right business done in the transfer market, they can be even stronger this season.
Albion finished in ninth position last term, and Potter will be looking to better that this time around. At the time of writing, the East Sussex club are priced at 5/4 for a top-half finish.
Players to Watch Out For in the 2022-23 Season: Big season for Calvert-Lewin & Gordon
Now Richarlison has departed, Everton will be looking elsewhere for goals. The 2021-22 season was a frustrating one for Calvert-Lewin, but the England international showed was his was capable of when fit and ready. Calvert Lewin started the season with three goals in three and ended with two goals in three.
It was a breakthrough season for Anthony Gordon, as the youngster impressed with a number of high-quality displays. Tottenham have been linked with the Liverpool-born ace, but Gordon is expected to stay at Goodison. The 21-year-old will unquestionably be a huge player for Lampard this season.
Our Everton Predictions: Merseysiders to secure top-ten finish
Despite the appointment being greeted with mixed emotions, Benitez actually made a fine start to life as Everton boss. However, things went rapidly downhill for the former Liverpool manager, and the Toffees could well have been an EFL Championship club right now if the board had not made the decision to sack him and bring in Lampard.
A club of Everton’s stature and history should be nowhere near the relegation zone. In fact, they should be fighting for the European places. Europe may be a step too far this season, but Lampard is more than capable of guiding the Merseysiders to a top-half finish. You can get 9/4 for Everton to finish in the top ten this season.
