There are times when the Everton manager and the fanbase are at polar opposites, especially over particular players. While David Moyes insists on continuing to field Dwight McNeil, the supporters would rather the manager trot out even a blue traffic cone before they see the 26-year-old starting another game.
Reports from last night indicate that Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest have expressed their interest in McNeil before the transfer window shuts on Monday evening, but the Blues have declined seeing
that Jack Grealish will likely not play again this season and no reinforcements appear to be forthcoming.
Traveling away from Hill Dickinson Stadium will allow the Toffees to play in their tighter, defensive formation which then makes them a lot more effective than when they try to play expansive football with a high line at home.
Brighton & Hove Albion under Fabian Hürzeler remain a bit of an enigma. Equally capable of playing free-flowing attacking football and also getting bogged down and grinding out results, the Seagulls sit in 12th place two spots and three points behind the Blues.
Moyes will have just about everyone back except Grealish, though Tim Iroegbunam will face a late fitness test before the game. For hosts Brighton, Stefanos Tzimas, Adam Webster, Solly March, Mats Wieffer and Diego Coppola are all out. Yankuba Minteh, Brajan Gruda, Igor and Diego Gomez will all undergo late fitness checks.
Who’s Out?
Jack Grealish (foot) is certainly out. Carlos Alcaraz was on the bench last week and should be good to go if needed, with Timothy Iroegbunam close to full fitness as well.
Everton squad available vs Leeds
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Travers, King
Defenders: Keane, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson, Aznou
Midfielders: Gueye, Garner, Iroegbunam (TRAINING), Dewsbury-Hall, Röhl, Armstrong
Wingers: McNeil, Ndiaye, Grealish (INJURED), Dibling, Alcaraz (TRAINING)
Strikers: Beto, Barry
Tactics and Formation
Everton will likely stick to the 4-2-3-1 they’ve used so far, even though we saw a 3-4-2-1 for a brief period leading up to the equalizer against Leeds on Monday night.
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 9/10
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 8/10
Jarrad Branthwaite – 7/10 Came through the second half of the Leeds game unscathed.
James Tarkowski – 8/10
Jake O’Brien – 7/10 Away from home and facing Mitoma? Moyes will go with O’Brien.
James Garner – 9/10
Idrissa Gueye – 9/10 Gana has got to stop sleeping through the first half hour of games.
Dwight McNeil – 6/10 You just know Moyes trusts McNeil and will pick him over Dibling.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 8/10
Iliman Ndiaye – 9/10
Thierno Barry – 9/10 That’s four goals in five games now for the striker.
Bench
Mark Travers
Seamus Coleman
Nathan Patterson
Adam Aznou
Michael Keane
Merlin Rohl – Unfortunate to not get any time in the Leeds game
Harrison Armstrong
Tyler Dibling – Could use the confidence boost that comes with some playing time
Beto
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The Blues can only dress nine subs, so it’s Carlos Alcaraz and Tim Iroegbunam who will unfortunately miss out as they continue to recuperate.
