Everton v Leicester predictions: Bonfire Night clash could be a damp squib

Conor Coady could make most of Leicester weakness

Everton and England centre-back Conor CoadyCredit: Justin Setterfield - The FA

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's Premier League clash between Everton and Leicester at Goodison Park.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Conor Coady first goalscorer
0.5pt each-way 33-1 bet365

Team news

Everton
Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend are still out.

Leicester
Jonny Evans is a major doubt, Ricardo Pereira is still absent.

Match preview

It's a sign of how far the fortunes of these sides have fallen when Leicester get credit for not being battered by Manchester City and Everton get nods of appreciation for holding out for a draw at Fulham.

Everton were European regulars and top-six contenders for many a season while Leicester were league champions in the not too distant past.

But now losing to City only 1-0 and coming away with a 0-0 from Craven Cottage represent respectability for these two.

You want fireworks on November 5 but this showdown between underwhelming underachievers Everton and Leicester could well turn into something of a let-down and fizzle out fairly unspectacularly.

Everton are favourites and their home form is reasonable enough – two wins, two draws and two losses, both narrowly at the hands of Chelsea and Manchester United.

They have scored only six goals in those six home ties, three of which were against Crystal Palace, who were poor on their visit to Goodison two weeks ago.

If you are averaging just ten shots per game – only Bournemouth and Forest create fewer – you are unlikely to score that many and Everton do look one-dimensional. There is a bit more about them with Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a target and Anthony Gordon, while still occasionally headless, is a threat and fun to watch.

What Everton do well is defend – only Arsenal, City and Newcastle have shipped fewer goals - and that's a handy knack to have when a side as positive as Leicester are visiting.

Everton's games average 1.77 goals a time, the lowest in the league. Leicester's go at 3.54, second only to Manchester City.

One of the reasons for that high number was all the defensive clangers they were dropping in the first few weeks of term but they've suddenly tightened up and Kevin de Bruyne's wonder strike is the only goal they have conceded in four games. And if you'd said to any Foxes fan at the start of the season they would go on a defensive run like this with a rearguard featuring Danny Ward in goal and Daniel Amartey in defence, few would have believed you.

This game promises to be tight and the draw looks a major player. But if there is a weakness in Leicester defensively which Everton can exploit it's the six goals they have shipped from set-plays. Clearly they have got better at it but Everton are all about delivery to a sea of chimney pots, one of whom, Conor Coady, has found the net already this season and will do so again. Maybe at 33-1, Saturday is that day.