Iwobi hoping to help Everton to better season

Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has been a regular in the Everton starting XI during the Toffees’ pre-season matches ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season. The upcoming campaign will be his fifth at the Merseyside club since moving there from Arsenal in 2019.

Everton narrowly escaped relegation into the Championship last season. They finished 17th, one place above the drop zone, with Leicester City, Leeds United, and Southampton being the three unfortunate clubs to be relegated. Victory over Bournemouth in the final game of the campaign ensured Iwobi’s side remained in the top flight of English football.

No player in the Everton squad featured more than Iowbi last season. The Nigerian was involved in all 41 games, scoring two goals, and providing nine assists. He has enjoyed some rest over the summer, and he is now ready to go again for club and country.

Iowbi will be next in action for his national team when the Super Eagles host Sao Tome and Principe in their final game of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification. Nigeria sits top of Group A on 12 points and victory will secure the number one spot in the standings.

Everton Expected to Finish Much Higher Next Season

Despite a 17th-place finish last season, Everton is expected to do much better in the 2023/24 campaign. They are as big as 4.0 in the online sports betting for relegation. Those odds with Bwin are the biggest prize available on the Toffees in the market on who will be relegated next season.

The Merseyside club is 4.33 to finish in the top half of the table. The last time they ended a campaign in the top half of the standings was in 2021 when they finished 10th with 59 points.

A top-six finish next season would ensure Everton qualifies for European football once again. They are 11.0 to achieve that feat. The Toffees have not had a top-six finish in the Premier League since 2014 when Roberto Martinez was in charge.

Dyche Has Excellent Record in Premier League

Everton appointed Sean Dyche last January. He took over the hot seat from Frank Lampard. He was hired by the Toffees due to his excellent record in the Premier League with Burnley. He managed the Lancashire club for ten years, helping them to overachieve in the top flight for large periods of that spell.

Dyche was able to get the results he needed in the second half of last season to keep Everton up. His side picked up points from 11 of the 18 games in the league, a solid return for a team that had been struggling before his arrival.

The Englishman has added some more experience to his Everton squad this summer with Ashley Young joining the club. The versatile defender arrived from Aston Villa having played 422 games in the Premier League, with spells coming with Manchester United and Watford.

Iowbi and Everton start their Premier League campaign against Fulham on August 12 at Goodison Park, the first of their 38 matches in the domestic league.