Everton to make light of Boro

Everton can be expected to get back to winning ways against struggling Middlesbrough in Sunday afternoon's live game.

Since experiencing the heady heights of the Premiership summit at the start of the season David Moyes's men have been brought back to earth with a bang with defeats by Reading, Manchester United and Aston Villa.

However, the Blues won't find Boro's back line nearly as impregnable as either United's or Villa's and will fancy their chances on home soil, especially with the inspirational Mikel Arteta likely to make a welcome return after three weeks out with ankle ligament problems.

Yakubu was on target for Everton in the Carling Cup in midweek and don't be surprised if he scores against his former employers, while James McFadden, who scored twice on Wednesday, could have played his way into the starting lineup at the expense of the misfiring Andy Johnson.
 
Boro have managed just two wins so far this term and defeats of Fulham and Birmingham won't exactly have given Stefan Wessels sleepless nights even if his only clean sheet to date came in midweek against Sheffield Wednesday.

Having replaced their crown jewels Yakubu and Mark Viduka with fool's gold, Gareth Southgate's side are looking increasingly like relegation fodder. They are over-reliant on the goals of midfielders Julio Arca and Stewart Downing, and although Tottenham reject Mido has scored twice for them since arriving at the Riverside, the Egyptian, like Arca, is out injured.

Everything is pointing to an Everton victory here and they are available at 7/10 with SportingBet. If he starts, take a chance on penalty-taking Arteta to score first at 9/1, while it is also worth keeping an eye on the team sheet for the in-form McFadden. If, however, he is on the bench take him to make an impact by coming on to score last at 6/1.

Verdict: 3pts Everton @ 7/10 (SportingBet); 1pt Arteta first goalscorer @ 9/1 (SportingBet); 1pt McFadden last goalscorer @ 6/1 (SportingBet)