Key Facts
- Everton (8th/37 points) and Bournemouth (11th/34) are only a few points apart, so a win on Tuesday night could move them several places up or down the table.
- Everton are unbeaten in six games in all competitions and often improve after the break; set pieces from Garner’s crosses with Keane as the target remain key.
- Bournemouth continue to score reliably, but their away record in the league is poor with only one win in eleven games; Rayan’s equalizer against Villa highlights their ability to respond.
- Bournemouth will have to rotate heavily in attack: Kluivert and Tavernier are out, as is Adams in midfield, which reduces their versatility and shifts responsibility to Cook/Scott and Rayan’s running.
- Head-to-head, the first halves have often been cautious and frequently tied at the break; however, Everton’s 1-0 win in December 2025 ended a four-game H2H losing streak.
- As a betting approach, “Both teams to score” supports clear streaks: Everton has scored in each of its six games without defeat, Bournemouth has an 11-game scoring streak, and Everton regularly concedes goals at home.
Only a narrow strip of the table separates Everton’s push for the top and Bournemouth’s hunt for the connection on Tuesday night at Hill Dickinson Stadium. David Moyes has Everton in 8th place with 37 points, while Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth are in 11th with 34 points – so close that a small swing could see several places change. The duel also has a recent history: the return match in December 2025 ended 1-0 for Everton and has loosened Bournemouth’s recent grip on this duel. But the really interesting question is how and when the goals will be scored. This preview considers three perspectives—Everton wins, both teams score, and the bolder approach that Bournemouth scores two goals—and then assesses how form curves, patterns after the break, and injuries could push the game toward these scenarios or away from them.
- Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
- Date and time: February 10, 2026, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 26)
Everton’s argument for victory is primarily their control after the break: their best phases often come in the second halves, and that counts against a Bournemouth team that can falter in the closing stages when under pressure for long periods. At the same time, Bournemouth’s scoring streak keeps the “Both Teams to Score: Yes” market very much in play, especially as Everton regularly concede goals at home.
Everton Form & Record Check
Everton comes into this game on the back of a 2-1 league win at Fulham, which pretty much sums up their current pattern: a slow start, then a strong finish, with both goals coming late. Before that, they drew 1-1 at Brighton and 1-1 at home to Leeds, and they also snatched a 1-0 win at Aston Villa. In the cup, they were only eliminated on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Moyes has them unbeaten in six games across all competitions, and the pattern is hard to miss: tight first halves, then more determination as the game opens up. Set pieces remain a reliable source of danger, with Garner’s crosses popping up time and again, Keane one of the recipients. Grealish is out and Alcaraz is doubtful, so the creative burden will fall more on Ndiaye and the options George can offer on the wings.
Moyes is likely to stick with his usual 4-2-3-1, with Pickford behind Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, and Mykolenko. The double six of Garner and Gueye should keep Everton compact and then set up Dewsbury Hall between the lines.
Armstrong is the likely runner from the right, while Ndiaye will cut in from the left to feed Barry, and Garner’s crosses remain a real weapon from set pieces. This is just a prediction, but Grealish is likely to be out again with his foot injury, and Alcaraz is a doubt after taking a knock, which limits Moyes’ options in the attacking midfield positions. If changes are needed, McNeil or George could come in on the wings, with Beto the obvious alternative up front. Coleman and O’Brien are cover options at right-back.
Bournemouth Form & Record Check
Bournemouth’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday showed that they can absorb a blow and immediately fight back, with Rayan scoring the equalizer. Before that, there was a composed 2-0 away win at Wolves and an exclamation point with a 3-2 home win over Liverpool, followed by a 1-1 draw at Brighton. Like Everton, their FA Cup run also ended in a penalty shootout, in their case after a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. The headline is that Iraola’s team continues to score, even away from home, but their away record remains poor, with only one win in their last eleven away league games, albeit with a recent unbeaten run. The injury list is weighing on their versatility, with Adams missing in midfield and Tavernier and Kluivert out of the attack. Jiménez’s permanent signing brings stability to the full-back position, but it does not remedy the lack of punch in the final third.
Iraola is likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 that started the draw with Villa, with Petrovic behind Jiménez, Hill, Senesi, and Truffert. Cook and Scott should again form the double six, allowing Rayan and Adli to operate high and wide, while Kroupi works between the lines around Evanilson. Christie and Brooks look like the most important creative options off the bench. The absences are significant in the attacking rotation, with Kluivert still out after his knee surgery, Tavernier, Gannon Doak and Soler also unavailable, and Adams missing in midfield. That should keep the responsibility on Cook’s cover and Scott’s ball transport, and after his goal on his first start, put additional weight on Rayan’s running. If Iraola needs another target player, Ünal is an obvious late option.
Everton – Bournemouth Head-to-head & statistics
The last five encounters have been fairly one-sided in terms of results, even if the games themselves were often close. Everton’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth in December 2025 ended a four-game losing streak in this fixture, which included a 3-0 defeat in July 2025 and a 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup in February 2025. Bournemouth also won 1-0 in 2025 and 3-2 in 2024. A pattern emerges, with a cautious first half seeing many of these games go into the break level and offering few early chances. Even when Bournemouth had the upper hand in this series, the decisive moments often came after the break, which fits in well with Everton’s current tendency to pick up the pace in the second half. Overall, the recent series suggests controlled games rather than open exchanges, although recent trends still show that both teams can score.
