Everton at Brentford: Opposition Analysis | All To Fight for in the Race for Europe
The Blues will want revenge after being humbled by the Bees at home
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 04: Nathan Collins of Brentford scores his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Brentford at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images) | Visionhaus/Getty Images The recent international break came at an unfortunate time for Everton , who had picked up some serious momentum heading into it, having won three of four Premier League matches, taking them all the way up to the giddy heights of eighth in the table, once again offering the tantalizing prospect of (gulp) European football. Actually, considering Jarrad Brantwaite’s ongoing fitness struggles this season, and the (over?
)reliance on a number of key players, in Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye, who, to varying degrees get kicked a lot, run themselves into the ground, or are 36 years of age (guess which applies to who! ), then maybe a three week rest wasn’t such a bad thing. OK, some have been on international duty during this interregnum of club football, but games against the likes of Uruguay, Czechia (quit changing your name, country!
) and Sweden don’t really compare to the physical demands of the English top flight. Heck, even the increasingly fragile Seamus Coleman – who’s posted a mere eleven minutes of league action for the Blues this term – is able to manage 95 minutes against Czechia in the Republic of Ireland’s losing World Cup qualifier, followed up by an hour in what was a friendly waltz-about with North Macedonia. Anyway, the presumably refreshed Toffees return to action this weekend with all to play for during what promises to be a fascinating conclusion to the season.
The Blues could achieve an improbable Champions League qualification should all go well, or drop to as low as 13th (feasibly 14th) should the wheels come off in spectacular fashion. Still, hopes are high and it’s much preferable to be still in the fight for continental football come mid-April, rather than looking towards the bottom of the table, hoping the likes of West Ham United, Spurs or Forest slip up. For Saturday’s traditional 3 PM local time kickoff, the team travels to West London to meet fellow Euro-hopefuls Brentford.
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