There pressure is building on everyone at Everton. Come the end of their clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night, it feels like three points are imperative.
The Blues were dreadful in their last outing as they slumped to a 4-0 loss to Manchester United. It leaves them in 17th place in the table after just two wins all season and a nightmare December run to come.
Wolves are down in 18th and after a slow start to the season have gradually started to pick up form. However, they were well beaten 4-2 by Bournemouth at the weekend.
This is how our Everton writers would set the side up for a huge game at Goodison Park.
Joe Thomas
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If Michael Keane was fit he would have a cracking case to start today. As it happens, he isn’t, which means I would probably stick with Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski despite their difficult time at Old Trafford.
Jake O’Brien would have every right to be disappointed and his proper introduction undoubtedly gets closer, but tonight I would want to stick with what is known at the back. For that reason I would also keep Vitalii Mykolenko in the side. He has struggled this season but there is a chance a lot of that is due to not having either Branthwaite or Dwight McNeil around him - the three formed a really effective base on the left last season.
To try help Mykolenko, and in the hope Dominic Calvert-Lewin can benefit from his crosses, McNeil is on my left. Ashley Young has arguably been the best of the defence in recent weeks but I liked what I saw from Nathan Patterson in his first minutes at Manchester United. He whipped two great balls in from the right and he comes in for me at right back in the hope Calvert-Lewin can benefit from multiple supply routes. Jack Harrison would come in on the right to offer some defensive backup to Patterson, whose overlapping runs might also provide space for Harrison to have the time to provide more opportunities for Calvert-Lewin.
Orel Mangala and Idrissa Gueye would be my pair in the middle and they would operate as part of a conservative midfield four - the whole point of this being to provide Calvert-Lewin with a range of service from deep and give Iliman Ndiaye the freedom to roam behind the striker - offering him yet another potential route to goal. Everton have to show adventure tonight and for me giving Ndiaye the chance to be central to that is vital.
**_(My team 4-5-1 ) Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Patterson; McNeil, Mangala, Gueye, Harrison; Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin_**
Chris Beesley
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Sean Dyche said yesterday that every game at Everton is a "must-win" and previously he's said the same about every game in the Premier League so we can't put much stock in such platitudes but tonight's December 'six-pointer' against Wolverhampton Wanderers really does fall into such a category for the Blues.
The manager also spoke of the difficulties of his job with expectations going up ahead of the final season at Goodison Park at a time when the finances went down. While nobody will deny that that budgets have had to be slashed at Everton in recent years, what loyal but long suffering supporters will see is a squad that is arguably stronger this term but, picking up fewer points per game and that's understandably a huge concern.
Given the magnitude of this fixture, Dyche needs to consider his team selection very carefully. While they're normally so strong as a patnership, both Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski endured personal nightmares in the 4-0 thrashing to Manchester United at Old Trafford but with Michael Keane understood to be struggling for fitness and Jake O'Brien still largely untested at this level, the pair of them get a reprieve in my eyes.
Vitalii Mykolenko is not so fortunate. After struggling at Southampton a month ago, his display against the Red Devils was arguably even worse as he was ran ragged by Amad and found to be badly out of position for the third goal.
Therefore, Ashley Young switches to left-back to take his place and I'll stick Nathan Patterson in at right-back for his first start of the season but given the manager's treatment of the Scotland international, you have to wonder whether the manager will do the same. Like a lot of people, I was surprised that Orel Mangala didn't start against Ruben Amorim's side and I'll restore him to central midfield alongside Idrissa Gueye with Abdoulaye Doucoure dropping to the bench after his sloppy back pass put Branthwaite under pressure in the build up to United's second goal.
Unfortunately, on the right wing, Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison have both been struggling to impress but given that he's in possession of the shirt, the Dane just shades it. Up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was dropped against United but again we saw that Beto is not as polished a performer so Everton's number nine is recalled here.
**_My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Patterson, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite; Gueye, Mangala, Lindstrom, McNeil, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin_**