Everton’s Premier League winning streak came to a halt at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, but the opening 30 minutes aside, it was another promising performance for the Blues.
The games are coming thick and fast at the moment, and next up is Manchester City at Goodison. Normally this fixture is a bit of a write-off, but City have bizarrely won just one of their last six league games and have been busy in Saudi Arabia at the World Club Cup. Key striker Erling Haaland did not play at the tournament and is 50/50 for this one, as is forward Jeremy Doku.
So how will Everton line up against what is now officially “the world’s best team”?
Who’s Out?
Idrissa Gueye picked up an injury at Spurs and will most likely miss this one. Andre Gomes came on for him in the last game and was an absolute revelation – putting in a perfect performance capped by a goal.
Abdoulaye Doucoure remains out with a hamstring problem but should be back within a couple of weeks.
No word on weather Seamus Coleman or Ashley Young will be fit enough to return yet.
Dele remains the only long-term absentee.
EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS SPURS
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Lonergan,
Defenders: Keane, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Coleman (DOUBT), Patterson, Young (DOUBT)
Midfielders: Doucoure (INJURED), Onana, Gueye (INJURED), Garner, Onyango, Gomes, Dele (INJURED)
Wingers: McNeil, Danjuma, Dobbin, Harrison
Attackers: Calvert-Lewin, Beto, Chermiti
Tactics and Formation
Don’t expect any significant changes from last time out.
Andre Gomes will come in for Gueye and sit slightly in front of Garner and Onana. Other than that, I think it will be the same setup as last time, although there’s a chance a Harrison or Calvert-Lewin could be rested.
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 10/10
Nathan Patterson – 8/10
James Tarkowski – 9/10
Jarrad Branthwaite – 9/10
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 9/10
Andre Gomes – 8/10
Amadou Onana – 9/10
James Garner – 9/10
Jack Harrison – 7/10
Dwight McNeil – 8/10
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 7/10
Bench
Joao Virginia
Michael Keane
Ben Godfrey
Seamus Coleman
Mackenzie Hunt
Arnaut Danjuma – will surely be thinking he deserves more minutes than the cameo appearances he’s been getting.
Lewin Dobbin
Beto
Youssef Chermiti
