David Moyes loves having choices. Not because he does anything with them, but he just loves having them. In fact, the only things he loves more than having choices is not using too many substitutes, and using centrehalves as fullbacks.
With Jake O’Brien having served his one-game suspension, we are very likely to see him back at right back, Jarrad Branthwaite at left back and the unbreakable pair of James Tarkowski and Michael Keane in the middle. It doesn’t get more Moyesian than that.
Oh wait, it does.
With Charly Alcaraz out for three to four weeks following his training injury on Sunday, likely Harrison Armstrong starts again on the wing where his effectiveness is severely limited. Square pegs, round holes, you’ve heard it all before.
Everton will be glad to get away from Hill Dickinson where it doesn’t seem to matter how they play or how they line up, they still end up losing.
For Newcastle, Eddie Howe will be missing Emil Krafth, Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley, with Jacob Ramsey facing a late fitness test for a hamstring ailment.
Who’s Out?
Jack Grealish (foot) is unavailable for the rest of the season, and Carlos Alcaraz is out for a couple of weeks at least.
Everton squad available vs Newcastle
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Travers (INJURED), King
Defenders: Keane, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson, Aznou
Midfielders: Gueye, Garner, Iroegbunam, Dewsbury-Hall, Röhl, Armstrong
Wingers: McNeil, Ndiaye, Grealish (INJURED), Dibling, Alcaraz (INJURED)
Strikers: Beto, Barry
Tactics and Formation
Everton will likely stick to the 4-2-3-1 they’ve used so far.
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 9/10
Jarrad Branthwaite – 9/10 Moyes is adamant that JB is as comfortable at fullback as he is at centrehalf
Michael Keane – 8/10 His lack of an attempt to tie up Bryan Mbeumo on United’s winner on Monday was disappointing, but he’ll be right there in the middle again.
James Tarkowski – 9/10
Jake O’Brien – 7/10
James Garner – 9/10 Garner is certain to play, just where exactly remains to be seen.
Idrissa Gueye – 9/10 Gana has been poor since returning from AFCON, and the 13-day break did not necessarily improve his play
Harrison Armstrong – 6/10 Not a critique of the youngster, but bombing down the sideline and putting a cross into the box is just not in his skillset and we should not be expecting it either.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 9/10
Iliman Ndiaye – 9/10
Thierno Barry – 9/10
Bench
Josh King – With Mark Travers injured the veteran is Pickford’s backup.
Nathan Patterson
Seamus Coleman
Vitaliy Mykolenko
Tim Iroegbunam
Merlin Rohl
Tyrique George
Tyler Dibling
Beto
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The Blues can only dress nine subs, so it’s Adam Aznou and Dwight McNeil to miss out.
