Everton start their UEFA Europa League group stage campaign with a trip to Italy, they will face surprise package Atalanta at Mapei Stadium on Thursday evening. The two teams are in Group E alongside Lyon and Apollon Limassol, it should be an interesting battle for the top two places, which grant qualification to the first knockout round. Everton and Atalanta have never met before, but the Toffees should worry about their record against Italian sides in European competitions: just one victory in six matches.
Atalanta have surprised everybody with their fourth-place finish in Serie A last season, at some point they even seemed capable to challenge for a Champions League spot. This season they started with two defeats but they had a very tough schedule to face both Roma and Napoli right away. Last weekend they finally put the first points on the board with a 2-1 home victory over Sassuolo. Leonardo Spinazzola is the only serious injury concern for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Everton started their season a lot earlier as they had to go through two qualifying rounds before reaching the Europa League group stage. They defeated Ruzomberok and Hajduk Split in the preliminary rounds and then had a good start in the Premier League: 1-0 victory over Stoke on opening day and then a 1-1 draw at Manchester City. However, they lost their last two matches, 2-0 at Chelsea and 3-0 at home against Tottenham. Ramiro Funes Mori, Yannick Bolasie, Seamus Coleman and Ross Barkley remain injured.
Probable line-ups:
Atalanta: Berisha - Toloi, Caldara, Masiello - Castagne, Cristante, Roon, Gosens - Ilicic - Gomez, Petagna
Everton: Pickford - Holgate, Keane, Jagielka, Baines - Besic, Davies - Lookman, Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin - Ramirez
My prediction: Atalanta to win 2-1.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Atalanta win - 2.38
Draw - 3.30
Everton win - 3.30
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