By Guy Mowbray
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: The Hawthorns Date: Saturday, 1 September KO 15:00 GMT
TEAM NEWS
West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie is doubtful with a thigh injury, while fellow striker Romelu Lukaku is battling to overcome an ankle problem.
Midfielder Jerome Thomas remains sidelined with a hip injury.
Everton’s Tony Hibbert is fit again after a stiff neck kept him out of wins over Aston Villa and Leyton Orient.
Phil Neville has overcome the tight hamstring that saw him substituted in midweek, while Kevin Mirallas could make his full Premier League debut.
MATCH PREVIEW
The Hawthorns should be a good place to be this weekend, with both clubs looking to extend their promising starts to the season into a third game. However it pans out, it can’t be as bad as the equivalent fixture last season, won late on by Victor Anichebe’s first Premier League goal for nearly two years. Even David Moyes admitted afterwards: “I don’t think you’ll buy the DVD of the game”.
A win or a draw for West Brom would mean their best-ever start to a Premier League season – just what Steve Clarke needs in his first full-time management post.
Thirteen years ago on Thursday, Clarke had his one game in caretaker charge of Newcastle – a 5-1 defeat at Manchester United. Having since played the role of trusted assistant to Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Gianfranco Zola and Kenny Dalglish, he’s certainly got the knowledge to be a success in his own right.
For all those names, however, it’s Clarke’s fellow 49-year-old Scotsman in the next dugout who must surely be the example to follow – especially at a club without limitless cash to splash.
Moyes’ Everton have been superb in their opening games, and could win three in a row at the start of a league season for the first time since 1993, when a Tony Cottee hat-trick did for Sheffield United in game three.
What price Nikica Jelavic to something similar to Albion this time? Or Kevin Mirallas? Or Steven Naismith? Or even Marouane Fellaini? That’s the difference – Everton have now got goals in the team and in reserve.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Everton have won on two of their last three visits to The Hawthorns.
Everton did the double over West Brom last season – and also beat the Baggies in the League Cup. Victor Anichebe scored in both league games.
West Brom
This is the first time West Brom are unbeaten after the first two games of a Premier League season since 2005-06. However, they ended up being relegated at the end of that campaign.
West Brom conceded nine penalties in last season’s Premier League – the joint-highest total in the top flight.
James Morrison’s last two Premier League goals have come in stoppage time, including in last week’s draw at Tottenham.
Chris Brunt is set to make his 100th Premier League appearance.
Steve Clarke was on the winning side in all three matches against Everton last season as assistant manager to Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. They won home and away in the Premier League, and 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Everton
Everton have won their first two Premier League matches of the season for the first time since 2007. The last time they won their first three league games was the 1993-94 season when they beat Southampton, Manchester City and Sheffield United.
The Toffees have now gone 11 league games without defeat. That run includes their 2-0 win over West Brom at Goodison Park at the end of March.
If they avoid defeat against West Brom, it will be their longest top-flight unbeaten run for 27 years since an 18-match streak from December 1984 to May 1985, when they won the old Division One title.
Steven Pienaar has scored four goals in his last eight league matches for Everton.
Phil Jagielka is set to make his 400th league appearance.
