Everton U21s v West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Haig Avenue, Friday 6 January, 7pm
West Ham United U21s return to Premier League 2 action with a trip to Everton on Friday.
Mark Robson’s young Hammers kick-off their 2023 with a tricky test away to the Toffees at Southport FC’s Haig Avenue.
The development team head into this week’s game having claimed three wins on the bounce in competitive action prior to the hiatus for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Kick-off is set for 7pm on Friday 6 January.
Tickets…
Tickets are available to purchase online for Friday’s Premier League 2 match away to Everton.
Adult fans can attend the match at Haig Avenue for £5, while concessions are just £3. U16s, meanwhile, can attend for free but are still required to apply for a ticket.
Tickets to the game can be purchased at the link here.
Travel…
Fans are advised that there is no car parking available at Haig Avenue. Some parking is available on neighbouring streets and supporters are requested to be respectful of residents.
The postcode for Haig Avenue is PR8 6JZ. Leave the M6 at Junction 26 and take the M58 towards Southport. Leave the M58 at Junction 3 and take the A570 towards Ormskirk. Follow the A570 around Ormskirk Town Centre towards Southport. On entering Southport you will come to a large roundabout. Take the third exit onto Scarisbrick New Road (A570).
You should now be able to catch sight of the ground over on your right. Pass the Richmond pub on your left and then turn right into Haig Avenue. The ground is down on the right.
The nearest railway station to the ground is Meols Cop, which is about a mile away from the ground. It is served by trains from Manchester Piccadilly.
How To Follow…
Live match updates from the Premier League 2 match, as they occur, will be available through our live blog coverage at whufc.com. Our live blog coverage will begin an hour before kick-off, at 6pm.
Full highlights from the game, as well as reaction from lead coach Mark Robson and the squad, will be available on YouTube and the Club website on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Team News…
Mark Robson will be keen to have close to a full contingent of players available to work with for Friday’s fixture.
The U21s have undertaken two friendlies in preparation for the return of competitive football, although defender Michael Forbes was forced off against Reading last week early on.
Divin Mubama has been earning minutes with the first team in recent fixtures but strikers Gideon Kodua, Callum Marshall and versatile midfielder Ollie Scarles – who all signed professional deals in late 2022 – will be eager to continue earning minutes for the U21s.
Opposition…
Everton U21s enjoyed a very strong start to the 2022/23 season but a drop in form prior to the break has seen the Toffees fall away slightly.
Everton have only suffered four losses all season but three of those defeats have come in their last five Premier League 2 matches.
Not that the Toffees are too far off the top. High level performances in the early campaign mean they are sat on 19 points, just four away from Arsenal at the pinnacle of the table.
Central to those efforts has been the immense goalscoring form of striker Thomas Cannon. The 20-year-old has eleven goals and three assists in 15 matches so far this season for the U21s, earning him his Premier League debut for the first team back in November.
Winger Stanley Mills has also impressed, with seven goals in ten matches, while midfielders Isaac Price and Charlie Whitaker each have four goals respectively this campaign.
Managed by former Birmingham midfielder Paul Tait, Everton are two-time winners of the Premier League 2 title and most recently lifted the trophy in the 2018/19 campaign.
