Paddy’s Preview: Everton v QPR

Everton are 4/9 with Paddy Power to record their fourth home win on the bounce in the Barclays Premier League as they entertain QPR on Saturday afternoon.

Phil Jagielka’s 15th-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Spurs last weekend brought Everton back into the game and he is 17/2to score at anytime against Harry Redknapp’s side.

The Toffees were unbeaten in March – winning three from three – and the England international knows the squad must look after their own results first as they chase the coveted top-four spot.

“We know we need a lot of help from teams around us, either taking points off each other or a shock result coming in,” Jagielka said.

“But we’ll take that. “We’ve not been in as good a position in the league for a long time so it’s nice to have gone up a level.”

Another Kevin Mirallas wonder-goal looked to have given Everton all three points before Spurs equalised late last weekend and the Belgian international is really beginning to find his form as the season reaches the business end.

Mirallas had been plagued by injury since signing from Olympiacos but has scored three goals in his last four league games and is 5/1 to be the game’s first goalscorer and 11/8 to score at anytime over the 90 minutes.

Everton have won two of their last three games at home to nil (Stoke 1-0, Man City 2-0) and are 11/8 to win to nil with Paddy Power on Saturday or 1/1 to keep a clean sheet with the online firm.

Manager David Moyes – voted the March Barclays Premier League Manager of the Month – should welcome back to the squad leading scorer Marouane Fellaini as well as Steven Pienaar after both served two-match bans.

Fellaini’s return in particular should boost the firepower up front. With Leighton Baines’ pin-point crosses likely to trouble the QPR defence the Belgian striker can be backed at 4/1 to get the opening goal of the game or 11/4 to score first for his team.

The Toffees have taken the lead in their last three home games before securing maximum points and Paddy Power make them 2/5 to score the game’s first goal and 1/2 to score their first team goal in the first 45 minutes.

Everton to win by exactly one goal is 12/5 while the home side to win and one or two total goals in the match is 13/5 with Paddy Power as the push for European football next year gathers pace.