Live Blog

Fulltime- Everton lose again, second 1-0 loss in a row and second loss in a row at Goodison too. Does it get any worse from here?

90’ - Three minutes added on, but they are unnecessary as Everton are unable to put even a couple of passes together.

87’ - Another promising freekick on the right, Blues stack the box, and Sigurdsson’s delivery is poor, cleared by Vardy. Ugh.

83’ - Blues concede another needless freekick that Chilwell lofts into the box beautifully, and somehow Harry Maguire puts it over when he really should have scored.

80’ - Embarrassing this now from the Blues. Ben Chilwell with an excellent slashing run is dragged down by Digne, who goes in the book. A minute later Tosun goes flying in recklessly and he’s cautioned as well.

78’ - Everton in a 4-4-2 with Richarlison and Bernard on the flanks, Sigurdsson and Gueye in the middle, Tosun and Calvert-Lewin up top.

75’ - Evans goes sliding into Richarlison again, this time the ref does book him. Freekick from an excellent position that Sigurdsson takes this time, but same result, right into the wall.

74’ - Two quick chances for Richarlison in the box, both blocked. 2019 has started exactly how 2018 ended for the Blues.

70’ - Walcott going off now, it’s Cenk Tosun on now. Desperation move, or does Marco Silva have a plan?

68’ - Blues win a freekick in a promising position in the left channel, about 25 yards out. Digne steps up to take, and it’s straight into the wall, Disappointing.

62’ - Tom Davies had been about to come on before the goal, but now it’s Bernard on instead, Andre Gomes giving way.

54’ - Two quick corners for the Blues, and both are wasted with Jamie Vardy clearing them, and then just like that Keane makes a mistake, Vardy is in and he scores. Easy peasy for the Foxes.

52’ - Gomes goes in the book now. He’s been badly off the pace today.

50’ - Second half has been more of exactly the same as the first half, unfortunately.

46’ - Leicester the first to make a change, with Rachid Ghezzal going off for Marc Albrighton.

Halftime - It’s been a pretty dull first half, 2019 is off with a yawn really.

Premier League

43’ - Theo Walcott is having another miserable game today. He’s actively undoing all the good things that Kenny is creating on the right.
Blues’ first corner of the game comes to nothing.

38’ - Gueye has been incredible so far, even his passing has been much better than normal.

32’ - Richarlison wins a cheap freekick down the left and Digne delivers, but Kurt Zouma’s feeble header is straight at Kasper Schmeichel.
Danny Simpson tugs down Richarlison now on a break and the crowd is howling for a booking that does not come.

28’ - Jonny Evans slides studs-up into a 50-50 ball with Richarlison, and the Brazilian comes off much worse, having gotten to the ball first. Ref had waved play on, and the Foxes put the ball out of play after the boos rang out at Goodison.

26’ - Kenny delivers an excellent cross into the box that Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads wide. Nice to see that service from the right side.

23’ - Lucas Digne has been doing well down the right, but that’s no surprise to anyone. Neat move with him and Richarlison comes to nothing after another Gomes giveaway. The Portuguese midfielder needs a break.

17’ - Close for Kenny! The fullback comes steaming into a loose ball just outside the box and his first time shot clatters the corner of the frame! Almost his first senior goal there.

13’ - Sigurdsson freekick from a favourable position after a Ben Chilwell handball, but it’s cleared away. Foxes look to make a break, but it’s well cut out by Michael Keane.
Richarlison had a shot blocked by Harry Maguire just a minute before that.

10’ - Between Gomes and Idrissa Gueye the Blues have made at least half a dozen turnovers, yikes.

5’ - Pretty sombre atmosphere at Goodison Park today, fans very quiet. The early kickoff after the New Year’s Eve festivities has done no one any favours.

1’ - Jonjoe Kenny gets into action early. Andre Gomes with a horrendous giveaway straight to Jamie Vardy but it’s cleared away.

Lineups - Marco Silva has finally heeded what Blues have been begging for, with Seamus Coleman benched for Jonjoe Kenny.

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Whoever had the bright idea of scheduling an early game on New Year’s Day evidently is either a Prohibitionist or has no clue how exactly the holiday is celebrated.

So if you can wake yourself up without any ill-effects from the previous night’s revelries, you might actually be entertained by an Everton side that desperately would like to start 2019 in a positive and uplifting manner.

That’s not saying that will actually happen, but hey, it’s the hope that kills us right?

Everton will be hosting Leicester City, who will also be looking to get the new year off to a good start following a disaster of tragic proportions that enveloped the Foxes’ world late in 2018.

Match Details

Date and start time: Tuesday, January 1st at 4:30 a.m. PT / 7:30 a.m ET / 12:30 p.m. BST

Stadium: Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

Capacity: 39,572

Weather: 48°F/9°C, partly cloudy, 4% chance of precipitation, 19 kmph winds

How to Watch/Listen

TV: NBCSN - United States; Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Main Event - United Kingdom, Sportsnet World - Canada, SuperSport 3, RMC Sport 1, beIN Sports, DAZN

Radio: Everton Match Centre, BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport Radio World, SiriusXM FC

Live stream: NBCSports.com, Telemundo, fuboTV, TSN GO, beIN Sports Connect, Flow Sports App, Optus Sport

Gamethread: Liveblog will be updated above from one hour before kickoff

Information from LiveSoccerTV.com

Lineups

Everton

Starting XI: Pickford; Digne, Zouma, Keane, Kenny; Gomes, Gueye; Richarlison, Sigurdsson (c), Walcott; Calvert-Lewin

Subs: Stekelenburg, Baines, Mina, Coleman, Davies, Bernard, Tosun

Leicester City

Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Maguire, Evans, Chilwell; Mendy, Choudhury, Ndidi; Ricardo Pereira, Vardy, Ghezzal.

Subs: Ward, Fuchs, Soyuncu, Albrighton, Maddison, Gray, Okazaki

Last Meeting

Everton beat Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium for their first away win of the season, and will be looking to complete the season sweep today. The last time the two sides met at Goodison Park was last January with a Theo Walcott brace sealing a 2-1 win.