TACTICALLY SPEAKING
We take an in-depth analysis of how Everton could approach Saturday's Barclays Premier League fixture with leading football statistics website WhoScored.com
We also take a look at how West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell could influence the game on his return to his native Merseyside.
West Ham United
West Ham United have teamed up with football stats website WhoScored.com to preview Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Everton.
The Hammers currently boast one of the best away records in the Premier League and this has been a contributing factor in the east London side's rise to fourth in England's top tier. Everton, meanwhile, have just one league win to their name from their opening five home games of the season. The international break was the ideal opportunity for West Ham to plan for this fixture and they should be well prepared for the encounter.
Expected to play a crucial role in West Ham's meeting with Everton is left-back Aaron Cresswell. The young Englishman has enjoyed a notable start to life at Upton Park and has made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League with ease. With Leighton Baines possibly sidelined for the fixture, it presents Cresswell with the opportunity to stake a claim for a potential England spot.
Attacking from deep, Cresswell has provided two assists for his team in his last four league appearances and the onus will be on the 24-year-old to turn out another impressive performance from left-back. With Seamus Coleman expected to press forward for Everton, Cresswell can exploit the space the Irishman may leave behind to create goalscoring chances.
Everton have developed statistically calculated WhoScored.com weaknesses of 'defending against attacks down the wings' and 'stopping opponents from creating chances'. With 'key passes' and 'crossing' strengths of the left-back, Everton must do all they can to limit Cresswell's offensive influence on Saturday.
Boasting a wicked left foot and the capability to regularly pick out a teammate from wide, the former Ipswich Town star poses a huge threat to the Everton defence from the left this weekend.
While fellow summer arrivals Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have stolen the limelight this season, Cresswell's consistent displays in the West Ham defence have helped propel the team to a top four place. If the Hammers are to maintain their flying start to the season, the left-back will have a big part to play on Merseyside.
*WhoScored.com is a website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Follow @WhoScored on Twitter.
Everton
The possible lineup
Howard
Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines
McCarthy Barry
McGeady Eto'o Barkley
Lukaku
The formation
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has used a 4-2-3-1 formation in nine of the Toffees' eleven Barclays Premier League matches this season, including the 1-1 draw at Sunderland last time out.
As is almost always the case with that system, Everton rely on their full-backs for width, and Martinez has two of the best in the business in Irishman Seamus Coleman and England international Leighton Baines.
In front of the back four, two defensive midfielders will anchor the midfield in the shape of a second Irishman, James McCarthy, and the veteran Gareth Barry.
A narrow three will play behind the lone frontman, with the central position likely to be taken by a forward - either Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o or Scotland international Steven Naismith.
Up front, Everton will rely on club record signing Romelu Lukaku, with the tall, strong Belgium international expected to get on the end of crosses and hold the ball up for his team-mates to support from deep or run beyond him into the penalty area.
The playing style
Martinez developed a reputation for playing an attractive brand of passing football during his time in charge at Wigan Athletic, and the likeable Spaniard has instigated a similar style at Everton.
Put simply, Everton keep the ball superbly well, completing 85.4 per cent of their passes.
With 59.3 per cent of possession and 513 short passes attempted per game, there is no doubt that Everton are easier on the eye than they were under Martinez's predecessor Davis Moyes - perhaps due to the large investment made in the squad since the Scot's departure.
With the outstanding Baines at left-back and Ross Barkley playing ahead of him in the attacking midfield trio, it should come as no surprise that Everton attack down that wing more often than any other Premier League side bar one - Sunderland - with 40 per cent of their raids coming down that side.
While the Toffees create plenty of chances and score their fair share of goals, this approach has seen them lose the defensive solidity and resilience that became such a trademark under Moyes.
Everton have conceded 18 goals in their opening eleven matches, only one less than bottom of the table Burnley and more than any other team in the top half.
While having the ball for so much of the time perhaps makes the figures misleading, Everton players have made an average of just 16 tackles - the third fewest of any Premier League side ahead of struggling Burnley and Aston Villa. Everton's 11.1 interceptions made per game is the second fewest ahead of leaders Chelsea.
The players
The Everton manager has more options than Moyes enjoyed as Everton manager - that much is clear. However, the 41-year-old does not have to think too much when it comes to naming his goalkeeper and defence.
United States veteran Tim Howard will start in goal, with the flying Coleman at right-back and the strong and experienced pairing of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin in the centre. Should he recover from a hamstring injury, Baines will complete the back four.
The defensive midfield positions, as stated earlier, are filled by the composed Barry and the younger, more mobile McCarthy. Both are disciplined, have high concentration levels and good positional sense.
Other options are long-serving England international Leon Osman, Irishman Darron Gibson and Bosnia and Herzegovina international Muhamed Besic.
Ahead of them, Martinez's options expand, with a host of players able to fill the three attacking midfield positions.
On the right of the three, Scot Aiden McGeady is what you might call an 'old-fashioned winger' in that he loves nothing more than getting the ball at his feet and running at his opposing full-back before crossing.
To the left, Barkley has been a revelation since breaking into the side last season. Still only 20, the midfielder possesses strength, pace, superb technique and the ability to carry the ball forward at speed before opening defences up with his dribbling, lay-offs or accurate long-range shooting.
South African Steven Pienaar is a popular member of the squad who can fill a variety of positions in attacking midfield. His strength is his ability to create chances with his perceptive range of passing in tight areas.
Belgium international Kevin Mirallas has returned to training after recovering from a hamstring injury, but he may have to wait for a recall.
Another option is on-loan Chelsea winger Christian Atsu. The Ghanaian is relatively short in stature, lively and loves running with the ball.
Veteran Eto'o has adapted his game as he has got older, using his brain to get him into positions that his feet will no longer take him to. Now 33, the African icon remains a lethal finisher from any range, while his more withdrawn role has enabled him to hold onto the ball and bring his teammates into the game in the attacking third.
Up front, Lukaku is a talisman. Tall, immensely strong and blessed with a fierce shot, the Belgian can hold up play and run in behind, while his aerial ability makes him a natural target for Everton's cross-happy full-backs.