PL Top Four Tip: Everton

The bookies are in a sense of denial about the changing hierarchy in English football if they still rate Arsenal as nothing longer than evens money shots to finish in the top four this season. Indeed, BetVictor still have them as 4/7 shots as they languish down in 8th.

In recent times, the team best equipped to take advantage of slipping standards at the Emirates would be Tottenham (11/4 Bet365) but they are only one point and one position better off than their north London rivals with 11 matches gone.

Instead, primed for a Champions League bid all of their own, is the side currently occupying that all important fourth spot. Everton look a steal at a best price of 4/1 (Boylesports) to finish there.

David Moyes has crafted his best squad yet and with the likes of Baines, Pienaar, Jelavic and Fellaini he has genuine star quality at the heart of things; the latter should already be a contender for player of the season.

Cynics will say that the Toffees are just on a good run and won’t last the pace, but there are plentiful reasons why they might.

*They have suffered defeat only 3 times in 29 league matches. This is a run that goes right back to the second half of last season and is no flash in the pan.

*Everton have had 216 shots on goals so far this season; that’s the most of any team in Europe’s big five leagues.

*Moyes’ boys aren’t flattered by their 20 points from 11 matches. They deservedly beat Man Utd in their first fixture at Goodison Park in 2011-12 and they have been frustrated by drawing too many games in which they have been the superior side.

*It’s normally the start of the season that’s the problem. The Blues traditionally get stronger as the campaign progresses.

*Upcoming fixtures against Reading (a), Norwich (h) and Arsenal (h) give Everton the chance to cement their status in the top four and potentially put a bigger gap between themselves and the biggest threat to their Champions League hopes.

With all this in mind odds of 4/1 (Boylesports) should probably be snapped up now before the penny drops that the Toffees are the real deal.