Premier League preview: Everton v QPR

Everton’s season finally gets underway when they host newly promoted QPR at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday.

After a lengthy off-season, Everton fans were disappointed when their scheduled trip to North London to face Tottenham was postponed due to the London riots.

The week off has given manager David Moyes more time to work out his preferred XI and also gave him a chance to run the rule over QPR, who made the worst possible start to their Premier League campaign.

Neil Warnock’s side were not only thumped 4-0 by Bolton at home on the opening day, but they also lost midfielder Keiron Dyer (ankle) to injury while defender Matt Hill was given a straight red card for headbutting Bolton’s Martin Petrov.

Those absences will hurt Warnock, who is already operating on a tight squad, with QPR desperately needing additions in midfield and defence.

And although his side will be desperate to atone for the opening day horror show, they will not find it easy against an Everton side raring to go.

The break has allowed Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta to gain full fitness in his bid to recover from a foot injury, while the Toffees will not go into the home fixture without match fitness, after a hastily arranged friendly against Bohemians allowed them to play last weekend.

Moyes did not risk the fitness of Louis Saha, Leighton Baines, Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka in that match but the likes of Arteta, Marouane Fellaini, Jack Rodwell and Tony Hibbert all got much-needed minutes ahead of the season opener.

Much has been made of Everton’s lack of purchases in the transfer market, with Moyes clearly troubled by the club’s financial state.

But if Everton can stay largely injury free, there is enough talent within the squad to ensure that they at least go close to finishing seventh for the third successive season.