Chris Sutton explains his Arsenal v Everton prediction

Chris Sutton is backing Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points with a 2-0 victory over Everton on Wednesday night.

The Gunners host the Toffees just a few weeks after having succumbed to a disappointing 1-0 loss by Sean Dyche’s side at Goodison Park at the start of February.

Arsenal have bounced back in recent games though to claim important away victories against Aston Villa and most recently Leicester City to reclaim their spot at the top of the table after having lost to Manchester City at The Emirates.

The Toffees were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa last time out and currently find themselves in 18th place in the table and a point from safety.

Former Chelsea FC striker Sutton feels that Arsenal are likely to have too much for the Merseyside outfit on Wednesday and he is tipping them to claim all three points in a comfortable win.

Writing in his column for BBC Sport, Sutton said: “Everton gave Aston Villa a decent game on Saturday but they fell back into the bottom three after being beaten, and their big issue is still that they are so short of firepower.

“I saw a Tweet from BBC’s chief football writer Phil McNulty about how the Toffees failure to sign a striker last summer or in January could come back to haunt them, and it’s clear Dominic Calvert-Lewin will have a crucial part to play if they are going to stay up.

“I don’t even see Everton getting near the goal too often on Wednesday, though. Arsenal have bounced back superbly from their defeat to Manchester City with two wins from two tough away games, against Villa and then Leicester.

“The Gunners will have a point to prove after losing at Goodison Park at the start of February – in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge of Everton – and I don’t see them having any problems this time.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey could return to Arsenal’s starting line-up this weekend after the Ghana international came on as a late substitute at Leicester following a lay-off with a muscular injury.

January signing Jorginho has been playing in Partey’s absence, but former England star Alan Shearer reckons that Partey should go straight back into the team if he is fit.

“That work Partey does in there [defensive midfield] is invaluable,” Shearer told Premier League Productions, as quoted by football.london.

“If you speak to the two Arsenal centre-halves and say ‘how comfortable are you with or without Partey in there?’ There is no doubt they much prefer to have him in there because he makes them look better players.

“I am not saying their job is easy, but he makes their job easier, in terms of the way he sits in there, his experience, his know-how in that position and helping out and sniffing out trouble. He actually sniffs it out before anybody else sees it, that’s what is so good about him.”