PREVIEW: EVERTON v CARDIFF CITY

A look at Saturday's trip to Goodison Park

Everton v Cardiff City
Venue: Goodison Park
NAV-IT: L4 4EL
Date: Saturday, 15th March, KO 3pm
Match-tag: #EVECAR (Live tweets on @CardiffCityFC)
LISTEN LIVE ON CARDIFF CITY PLAYER

Cardiff City travel to Goodison Park for the first time in 35 years to take on Roberto Martinez’ high-flying Toffees.

MATCH FACTS

- A win for the Bluebirds at Goodison Park would be their first victory at Everton in 88 years, where City won 1-0 thanks to a Hughie Ferguson goal on Saturday, 11th December 1926.
- Everton have won 16 and lost just one of their last 22 Barclays Premier League home games.
- Should City win at Goodison Park, it’ll be their first successive victories in the top-flight since April 1962.
- Everton have conceded only twice from corners this season, only Tottenham can match this record.
- Everton’s Seamus Coleman is the top-scoring defender in the Premier League this season with five goals, one ahead of Cardiff’s Steven Caulker (and Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel).
- Cardiff have been ahead in eight games this season and have dropped just five points in these matches (W6 D1 L1).

KEY PLAYER: Gareth Barry

Looking past the colossal defensive pairing of Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka, midfielder Gareth Barry has made himself a vital part of the Toffees engine room since arriving from Manchester City on Transfer Deadline Day in September. 27 appearances in all competitions so far Barry has more than impressed since joining Roberto Martinez at Goodison Park.

ONE TO WATCH: Romelu Lukaku

Everton’s top scorer with eleven goals in all competitions this season, the on-loan frontman has provided Roberto Martinez’ side with plenty of goals since arriving on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea. The Belgian international has scored twice in each of his last two games.

RECENT FORM (ALL COMPETITIONS):

Cardiff City: LDLLLW
Last time out: Cardiff City 3-1 Fulham – Saturday, 8th March, Barclays Premier League.

Cardiff City picked the most opportune time possible to record their first win by a two-goal margin in the Barclays Premier League, as the Bluebirds produced a vital 3-1 victory over bottom club Fulham at Cardiff City Stadium.

Captain Steven Caulker produced an unlikely double by scoring either side of a Lewis Holtby equaliser for the Cottagers, and a Sascha Riether own-goal put Cardiff out of reach in the second half.

Team - Cardiff City: Marshall, Caulker (capt), Turner (Théophile-Catherine 90), Medel (Eikrem 81), Jones, Campbell (Dæhli 72), Kim, Noone, Mutch, Fábio, John. Subs not used: Lewis, Juan Cala, Zaha, Bellamy.

Everton:  WLWLWL
Last time out: Arsenal 4-1 Everton – Saturday 8th March, FA Cup with Budweiser quarter-final.

A late double from Gunners front man Olivier Giroud topped off a strong Arsenal performance that saw Mesut Özil’s early goal followed up by Mikel Arteta’s second half penalty. Romelu Lukaku’s first-half equaliser proved to be mere consolation for the Toffees as the home side claimed their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with Budweiser.

Team – Everton: Robles, Baines, Coleman, Distin, Stones, Barry, Mirallas (Osman, 76), McCarthy, Pienaar (McGeady, 76), Barkley (Deulofeu, 84), Lukaku. Subs not used: Browning, Howard, Hibbert, Naismith.    

LAST COMPETITIVE MEETING:

2013/14: Saturday, 31st August 2013, Barclays Premier League – Cardiff City 0-0 Everton

City got their fourth Premier League point on the board as they battled out a hard earned 0-0 draw with Everton at Cardiff City Stadium in August.

'Keeper David Marshall was the star of the show for the Bluebirds in the first-half, a fingertip stop in first-half stoppage time just enough to keep a Nikica Jelavic header out and keep the scores level going into the break.

Team - Cardiff City: Marshall; Connolly, Taylor, Caulker, Turner, Whitts, Medel (Mutch 89), Campbell, Kim (Maynard 82), Gunnarsson, Bellamy (C) (Cowie 78). Subs not used: Lewis; Hudson, Gestede, Noone.

Everton: Coleman, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Mirallas (Deulofeu 85), Pienaar, Osman, Fellaini, Barkley, Jelavic (Kone 68). Subs not used: Robles, Heitinga, Oviedo, Naismith, Stones.         

REFEREE: Roger East

Roger East is one of the Premier League’s most recent recruits after a successful spell as a Football League referee.

After impressing during the 2012/13 season, East earned a permanent spot in the Select Group of Premier League officials from the 2013/14 season.

East last officiated a Cardiff City match in September, taking charge of the Bluebirds Capital One Cup third round tie with West Ham United at Upton Park.

WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE MATCH PREVIEW SHOW IN THE CITY, ON YOUTUBE, BELOW