Our Everton writers Joe Thomas and Chris Beesley make their predicted line-ups for the trip to the Etihad to take on Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday
Carlos Alcaraz of Everton celebrates after scoring the side's first goal during the Carabao Cup second round match between Everton and Mansfield Town. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz of Everton celebrates after scoring the side's first goal during the Carabao Cup second round match between Everton and Mansfield Town. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
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Everton travel to Manchester City with a Jack Grealish-shaped hole in their squad. The 30-year-old is ineligible to face his parent club.
It is a problem David Moyes has always known about and has now had a fortnight to prepare for. What he will do remains to be seen, but there are several players who could benefit. Iliman Ndiaye could get the chance to move to his favoured position on the left, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could make an immediate return from his one game suspension and Tyler Dibling could get another start.
Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, is in contention after his impact from the bench against Crystal Palace, while Dwight McNeil is another option.
Here, the ECHO’s Everton writers discuss how they would approach a fixture the Blues have taken useful draws from across two of the past three campaigns.
Joe Thomas
For me, this is a battle between Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz, both players that I like a lot. I have written previously of my belief Iliman Ndiaye is being held back slightly on the right and I would take this opportunity to move him to the left, from which position he scored in the draw at the Etihad last season. I want to continue to support Tyler Dibling on the right because I think Everton would benefit significantly from having a more natural option there.
So that leaves the central attacking midfield role to debate. I think Dewsbury-Hall is a great player and his quality on the ball is a sign of how much technical standards have improved over the summer. He was ridiculously hard done by to pick up so many yellow cards so early in the campaign and would enter the fray after three weeks without a game.
I do think Alcaraz is great and he links up pretty well with Beto. Does his display against Palace earn him precedence? No, not for me. I think Dewsbury-Hall might be a better source of composure on and off the ball at the top end of the pitch and so I would start him, knowing I had Alcaraz’s passion and talent to call upon when needed.
Beyond that, Beto starts up top for me. I think it makes sense to give him a run of games now and just see how Everton fare. Further back, the progress made by Jarrad Branthwaite and Merlin Rohl offers hope of some competition in the very near future but for now, it remains the same for me, though I am hopeful Seamus Coleman’s double header for the Republic of Ireland is a sign that he could challenge for the right back slot more.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.
Chris Beesley
We know Jack Grealish can’t play for Everton against parent club Manchester City, but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is back from suspension.
So, where does that leave the Blues for their trip to the Etihad Stadium where David Moyes won on five occasions during his first spell in charge?
I think Dewsbury-Hall slots back into his number 10 role but given how well he did as a second half substitute in the 2-1 comeback win over Crystal Palace last time out, I believe that Charly Alcaraz also deserves to start.
I’d have the Argentinian on the left in Grealish’s place and put Iliman Ndiaye, who was less effective starting centrally against the Eagles, but better when he went out wide, back on the right wing which means the biggest signing of the summer Tyler Dibling reverts to the bench.
Up front, both of Moyes’ main options continue to labour but despite missing a sitter on international duty for Guinea-Bissau in Ethiopia last week, I’d still go for Beto ahead of Thierno Barry, who is yet to break his duck.
The most experienced frontman might prove more of a handful for Pep Guardiola’s side and he looked livelier than his French team-mate when introduced against the FA Cup winners a fortnight ago.
My team: (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz; Beto.