Our Everton writers select their starting line-ups for tonight's massive Premier League match with Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Tyler Dibling of Everton looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Our writers believe Tyler Dibling should be handed a start for Everton in tonight's big match against Arsenal
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Saturday night; under the Hill Dickinson Stadium lights; last home game before Christmas; Premier League leaders coming to town.
Yes, Everton vs Arsenal ticks all the boxes. But no Evertonian making their way to the match will be under any illusions of how difficult it will be.
The Gunners are top on merit. The fact that they also lead the Champions League standings is testament to the job former Goodison Park hero Mikel Arteta is doing at the Emirates and the formidable squad he has built. Yes, they have injuries, but it's nothing compared to the selection issues facing his counterpart, and former manager during his playing days with the Blues, David Moyes.
So with so many players injured or unavailable, how does the Everton manager play it this evening? Our writers have their say...
Chris Beesley
We’ve known for a long time that Senegal international pair Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye were heading for the Africa Cup of Nations but now Everton must also face Premier League leaders Arsenal without their best player of the past month, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
After some tantalising glimpses of what he might be able to offer the Blues this term when he made his debut in the final pre-season friendly against Roma on August 9, just three days after he completed his £25million transfer from Chelsea, and then an impressive first goal in the 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers later that month, the 27-year-old has really upped his game with a rich vein of form in recent weeks.
Starting with the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, when he had to go deep following Gueye’s sending off and netted the match-winner as Everton became the first team to beat Manchester United on their own turf in a Premier League game after being reduced to 10 men, the displays of Dewsbury-Hall have been, in the words of former Blues captain Alan Stubbs “immense.”
He followed that up with the best goal of his career against Newcastle United and then ran the show in the victories over Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, ensuring that by the time his return to Stamford Bridge came around, the midfielder declared that he felt confident facing anyone in the division. So, not only was his early injury a bitter blow at Chelsea, he’ll be sorely missed too against the Gunners and any more subsequent fixtures he’s forced to sit out.
With Dewsbury-Hall having been restored to the number 10 role against his previous employers, Charly Alcaraz comes in as a like-for-like replacement in terms of position. The same goes for the other two areas that David Moyes must fill but the million-dollar question is whether the incoming squad members can reach the levels of the team-mates they’re replacing.
It’s great to hear that Merlin Rohl is back in contention and hopefully we can start seeing much more of what he’s about in the coming weeks, but this game might come a bit too soon for him, ensuring that Tim Iroegbunam gets my nod to replace Gueye alongside James Garner in the engine room. Hopefully Jack Grealish can continue on the left wing after Moyes referenced that he had some hamstring issues at Chelsea but that still leaves the dilemma of who has the considerable task of stepping into Ndiaye’s boots.
Dwight McNeil has the greater experience, but the jury is out over the deployment of one of the most left-footed players in football as an inverted right winger. Therefore, I’d stick Tyler Dibling, Everton’s most-expensive signing of the summer in for what will be a huge opportunity as the teenager looks to make an impact having played just 82 minutes of Premier League football for his new club so far.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Dibling, Alcaraz, Grealish; Barry.
Joe Thomas
This is the first game of a new reality for Everton, one that will last until at least the start of January. Dealing with the loss of any one of Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would be tough (even if Everton made a good fist of life without Gueye during his three match ban). To be without all three feels brutal.
I don’t think David Moyes can name a full squad of senior players tonight, even with two goalkeepers - the fourth choice Harry Tyrer player for the Under-21s in their win over Monaco last night.
That is even with the returning Merlin Rohl, who is back available after a hernia operation but whose return must surely be handled cautiously.
I struggle to see a way past James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam having the tough task of dealing with the best central midfield in the league, maybe in Europe.
I would put Carlos Alcaraz among them but use him as an 8 rather than a 10 - I think he showed last season he can play in a deeper role. The big dilemma is who replaces Ndiaye. For me, this has to be Tyler Dibling’s opportunity. I wonder if Moyes will try to play safe and have the more experienced Dwight McNeil on the right tonight.
But I think that is such a square peg in a round hole and I think Dibling has to be given increased responsibility.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam; Dibling, Grealish; Barry.