The Liverpool ECHO's Everton FC reporters Chris Beesley and Joe Thomas pick their line-ups for Saturday's Premier League clash at leaders Arsenal
Dwight McNeil during the Premier League match between Everton and Burnley at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Dwight McNeil during the Premier League match between Everton and Burnley at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
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Everton have already achieved some landmark wins on the road this season and now David Moyes is looking to add another to his collection as they head to Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.
If the away end was to be the one celebrating at the Emirates on the final whistle then it would be the greatest of the lot - better than at Villa Park, Old Trafford or St James' Park.
It would also require an incredible performance against the Premier League pace setters, though Mikel Arteta's side have shown a few nerves across recent weeks.
If Everton were to find a way to pick up a valuable result in their quest to qualify for Europe, how would they do it? The ECHO's Blues writers Chris Beesley and Joe Thomas ponder just that.
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Chris Beesley
With David Moyes seemingly having allayed fears about Jarrad Branthwaite for Everton’s trip to the Emirates Stadium the Blues will hopefully be able to field their most valuable asset for what on paper is their toughest fixture of the season away to the Premier League leaders. The Glaswegian gaffer also insisted that he has no issues over Arsenal’s physical approach but will need all of his strongest players available to combat the Gunners’ threats, especially from set-pieces.
That doesn’t necessarily require a reprisal of the four centre-back system deployed at Brighton & Hove Albion where Branthwaite turned out at left-back. Vitalii Mykolenko has done well against Bukayo Saka in the past when he’s had to focus on his defensive duties and could hopefully do a similar job here.
There has been an 11-day gap between fixtures but with Everton having picked up back-to-back victories against Newcastle United and Burnley before their break, Moyes has no need to tamper with a winning team.
The Blues have triumphed a dozen times on their travels since he returned, but it’s now over 30 years since they tasted victory at Arsenal in front of fans.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.
Joe Thomas
I don't think there is a huge amount to think about for this starting line-up. I do have concerns over the workloads of certain players, particularly Idrissa Gueye, but the 11-day break since Burnley should mean everyone is in a good place for the trip to North London.
A far weaker Everton pushed Arsenal close on Merseyside in December and should have had a penalty in the second half when Gabriel kicked through Thierno Barry.
That was not to be the case but maybe Everton are due some luck here. They drew under Sean Dyche last season and the campaign before they lost on the final day of the season to what was a very generous bout of leniency towards title-chasing Arsenal, whose three points came courtesy of a controversial late goal.
Given the squad has just had a break and David Moyes sounded optimistic about the availability of Jarrad Branthwaite in his pre-match press conference, I would keep the same side that started the wins over Newcastle United and Burnley in the last two games.
If Branthwaite was to miss out, that would require quite a significant rethink. In that situation I would move Jake O’Brien to centre-back and start Nathan Patterson.
O'Brien's pace would allow Everton's defence to push up the pitch more than with Michael Keane and James Garner is too important to lose from the middle. With Dwight McNeil and Garner around him, I would hope that would give Patterson a good chance at right back.
I would like to see more of the younger players in midfield and out wide but given this is the biggest test of the season, that Gueye should be well rested and the key to a good result is making the Emirates nervous, I would look to keep things tight early in the game.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto..