Premier League preview: West Brom v Everton

West Brom host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday looking to halt David Moyes’ side’s blistering start to the season.

Everton are notoriously slow starters so back-to-back opening wins over Manchester United (1-0) and Aston Villa (3-1) were welcomed not just for the impressive manner of both but their significance in reversing the club’s fortunes.

Everton managed just three wins from their opening 10 fixtures last season and a measly three in 17 to commence their 2010-11 campaign.

The Merseyside club have looked dynamic with wiry Belgian Marouane Fellaini unplayable in the opening two fixtures having notched two goals in two games, following just 11 in his last three campaigns.

Nikica Jelavic’s goal against Villa was remarkable in that it continued a sequence of 19 first-touch finishes.

The Croatian was brought in by Moyes as a clinical marksman to spearhead the attack but has taken the role rather more literally.

Since joining Rangers in 2010 before his move to Everton, Jelavic has scored 48 goals with just 54 touches.

Former team-mate Steven Naismith has slotted into the attack nicely since his off-season move while ex-Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson has made the most of Jack Rodwell’s departure to Manchester City with two impressive displays in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile West Brom, under new manager Steve Clarke, have looked similarly spritely in their two openers with a shock 3-0 win over Liverpool on the opening weekend followed by a well-deserved point in a 1-1 draw at Tottenham.

The Midlands club were tipped as relegation candidates before the season proper but have looked anything but in their first two games.

Midfielder James Morrison was stung during the week by suggestions the side would have difficulty continuing England manager Roy Hodgson’s excellent work.

“Whoever has said things about our chances, what do they know? We will prove them wrong,” Morrison said.

“Steve Clarke hasn’t changed much. He’s tweaked a few things and it’s worked.

“We would have taken four points from our first two games. We never get an easy start.

“We had Man United and Chelsea last year. We’ve had Arsenal in the past.”

West Brom snapped up Swedish international striker Markus Rosenberg and Belgian Romelu Lukaka on loan in two good bits of business and have already looked a potent force going forward.