‘A hard one’: Chris Sutton predicts who will ‘cement survival’ out of Everton or Brentford today

Everton are back in Premier League action later today, seeking to maintain their remarkable form and make it three league wins on the spin.

Such a feat has not occurred since they won four in early December.

However, with crucial victories over relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and Burnley, as well as a historic triumph against Liverpool in midweek, there is every chance they could mimic their success against the Bees.

Sean Dyche might have to make some changes though.

Chris Sutton drops his Premier League predictions

Writing for BBC Sport, seeking to once again offer his Premier League predictions for this latest round of fixtures, Chris Sutton was with Ride band members Andy Bell and Steve Queralt.

Predicting a return to form for Liverpool, and a title-boosting win for Arsenal in the north London derby, the pundit would offer the following when talking about Everton’s game against Brentford.

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He noted: ‘I always felt Everton’s season depended a lot on Dominic Calvert-Lewin but it felt like he was in the wilderness for months before he put in such a brilliant performance against Liverpool on Wednesday.

‘He was such a handful all game and showed what a good a player he is. I was left thinking where have you been for so long?

‘You have to wonder how much Everton have got left in the tank after their efforts to win the Merseyside derby but a lot of the pressure is off them now.

‘It is the same for Brentford after their run of results – both of these teams are almost safe because Luton would need a miracle to catch them.

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‘I am not sure what is going on with Bees striker Ivan Toney, because he was on the bench for a couple of games before missing the win over Luton with a hip injury, but they don’t seem to need him at the moment.

‘This is a hard one to call because a win would effectively cement survival for whoever gets it, but a draw is also a decent result for both teams – and that might mean this is quite a cagey affair.’

Sutton lands on a 1-1 draw.

Everton could suffer energy depletion vs Brentford

After putting in such a monumental shift to earn such a historic result on Wednesday, these players could be forgiven for showcasing some signs of exhaustion.

After all, it has been a long and wearisome season, plagued by external troubles that have undoubtedly made things harder for the players.

So, given that it is widely considered that the win over Liverpool has ensured their Premier League safety, we could expect some kind of hangover today.

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That being said, the Bees are in no sparkling form themselves, and this therefore makes this the ‘hard game’ to call that Sutton labels it.

Although, last time out, Luton Town were mauled 5-1 by Brentford, whilst Everton enjoyed one of their best wins and performances in recent memory.

All signs do point towards a home victory, but we will patiently await the outcome of just two days off such an intense match.