Stuttgart vs Everton: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

The second leg of Everton’s pre-season training camp in Germany sees them face a significant step up in class. After a 2-1 victory over Hamburg, David Moyes’s side now takes on Champions League-bound Stuttgart, a team that has been prolific in front of goal and remains unbeaten this summer.

Stuttgart: Positive Stability

Sebastian Hoeneß continues to steer the ship at Stuttgart, having guided the club back to the Champions League for the second time in four years following last season’s success. The Swabians have played four friendlies this pre-season, but only their previous encounter with Paris FC (2-2) provided a real test. That match saw them throw away a 2-0 lead and miss a penalty, turning a certain victory into a draw. Before that, Stuttgart had ruthlessly dismantled three local amateur sides, racking up a combined 20 goals.

The club’s management has managed to retain all of its key players. Notably, Angelo Stiller, Bilal El-Hannous, Ermedin Demirović, Deniz Undav, and Jeremi Arevalo have only just returned from their post-World Cup holidays and could feature in the squad for the first time. Their return will significantly bolster an already potent Stuttgart attack. Jamie Leweling was also on that list, but the winger will miss this match due to illness. Dennis Seimen was set to be the new number one following Alexander Nübel’s loan expiry, but the young goalkeeper has suffered a fairly serious injury. As a result, Frederik Bredlow is being actively integrated into the first team. New signing Leo Sauer is also in the treatment room, but the attack remains well-stocked with quality players even without him.

Everton Makes No Sudden Moves in the Transfer Market

David Moyes has also been selecting opponents carefully during pre-season, but his list is still respectable: a Scottish side in Dundee (4-0), followed by Bolton (0-0) and Stoke City (0-1). Notably, the Toffees’ coaching staff has barely used any youth players, instead immediately fielding their strongest available XI. The exception is in goal, as Jordan Pickford has yet to be seen in training following the World Cup. However, Iliman Ndiaye has returned from his break; the starting right winger could get some game time in this match, though he is more likely to appear from the bench.

The club has lost Idrissa Gueye this summer, a key defensive midfielder who spent a total of seven seasons at the club. However, at 36, maintaining his standard in the Premier League was becoming increasingly difficult. The center of midfield has been reinforced with Hayden Hackney (5 goals, 7 assists in the Championship last season) and Christian Nørgaard (a former Brentford leader and Arsenal benchwarmer). Hackney has featured in the two previous friendlies, while Nørgaard’s transfer was only announced recently, and the Dane has not yet traveled to Germany.

Predicted Lineups for Stuttgart vs Everton

Stuttgart (4-2-3-1): Bredlow – Vagnoman, Al-Dakhil, Chabot, Hendriks – Premel, Stiller – Buanaani, Undav, Führich – Demirović

Out: Seimen, Aissignan, Sauer, Diehl (all injured), Leweling (illness)

Head Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

Everton (4-2-3-1): Travers – Patterson, Branthwaite, Keane, Aznu – Armstrong, Hackney – Dibbling, Alcaraz, George – Beto

Doubtful: Jordan Pickford

Head Coach: David Moyes

Prediction and Bet

Main Prediction: Stuttgart to Win @ 2.11

A compelling argument in favor of the Germans is the home-field advantage. This match will not be played on a training ground like the one against Paris FC but at the MHP-Arena. In the previous Bundesliga season, only Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich had better home records than Stuttgart (12 wins, 3 draws, 2 defeats). Everton did beat their last opponent on this tour, but Hamburg are a team of a lower caliber, and the English side’s winning goal came only at the very end. Before that, they failed to overcome modest opposition in Stoke and Bolton. Furthermore, compared to their previous friendlies, Stuttgart’s squad could be strengthened by as many as four first-team regulars (excluding Arevalo). Backing a Stuttgart victory at 2.11 looks like the smart play.

Total Goals Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.50

Hoeneß’s men have only kept clean sheets in their first two pre-season matches. Without the injured Seimen, the team has conceded not only to Paris FC but also to Offenbach (8-1), a side from the fourth tier of German football. Stuttgart are capable of breaching the “over” line on their own, but their opponents are likely to contribute as well, finding the net at least once. The Toffees have had no major attacking problems this summer, except against Championship sides. With this in mind, a bet on over 2.5 total goals at odds of 1.50 looks like a solid choice.