The pressure is mounting on Sean Dyche.
He was essentially safe under Moshiri – but with new owners expected to arrive in the couple of weeks and the January transfer window now far away, suddenly the pressure is on.
That’s not to say he hasn’t done a more than decent job under difficult circumstances. He has.
But this season was his chance to kick on a bit and show he’s capable of playing the type of football we want to see at Bramley Moore and, so far, that’s just not happened.
So with three games in 11 days, the Friedkins will be watching closely. Unfortunately for Dyche, two of those three games are against Liverpool and Arsenal. So a win here might well be vital if he wants to at least see out the final season at Goodison.
With a point to prove, therefore, how will he line-up his mighty goal-shy Blues of Everton here?
Who’s Out?
The injury list is curtailing nicely. Armando Broja is expected to join the first-team squad for the first time, providing us with some much-needed options up top.
Chermiti isn’t far behind, but won’t be ready for this one, as are James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam.
Michael Keane picked up a knock ahead of the United game and is also expected to miss this one.
EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS WOLVES
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Begovic
Defenders: Keane (DOUBT), Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson, Young, Dixon
Midfielders: Doucoure, Gueye, Garner (INJURED), Iroegbuman (INJURED), Mangala, Armstrong
Wingers: McNeil, Harrison, Ndiaye, Lindstrom
Attackers: Calvert-Lewin, Beto, Chermiti (INJURED), Broja
Tactics and Formation
Not a single goal in four games and four goals conceded in the last, it’s surely time to shake things up.
The first change we should hope to be seeing is Nathan Patterson lining up at right-back. Ashley Young hasn’t done badly this season, but we really need a full-back that can provide impetus to the attack.
If Dyche is to really go for broke, he might start Beto and Calvert-Lewin together to make a statement. Very unlikely, though.
The other changes won’t be too wild.
Doucoure’s in another lull of form, so it would be good to see Orel Mangala get a start, while Jack Harrison may come in for Jesper Lindstrom.
I’d expect Calvert-Lewin to return to lead the line.
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 9/10
Nathan Patterson – 6/10
Jarrad Branthwaite – 8/10
James Tarkowski – 7/10
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 9/10
Idrissa Gana Gueye – 8/10
Orel Mangala – 6/10
Jack Harrison - 6/10
Dwight McNeil – 8/10
Iliman Ndiaye – 8/10
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 7/10
Bench
Joao Virginia
Ashley Young
Jake O’Brien
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Callum Bates
Jesper Lindstrøm
Harrison Armstrong
Armando Broja
Beto