Full Everton line-up and team news for the big Premier League clash with title-challenging Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium
David Moyes before Everton's defeat to Liverpool
David Moyes before Everton's defeat to Liverpool(Image: (Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
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Tim Iroegbunam will start Everton’s game against Manchester City, with Idrissa Gueye absent from the squad.
The 22-year-old looks set to join James Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the centre of a midfield tasked with wrestling a big result against Pep Guardiola’s title challengers.
He is one of three changes made by David Moyes to the team that started the defeat at West Ham United, with Beto returning after concussion to take the place of Thierno Barry and Merlin Rohl replacing Dwight McNeil.
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Rohl earns his start despite several positive cameos from Chelsea loanee Tyrique George, who has finished the last three Premier League games. George and Iroegbunam helped Everton fight back to level at the London Stadium last week after being introduced from the bench, though the Blues still fell to a late Callum Wilson goal.
It will be Rohl's first start since the win at Aston Villa, and, while he might line up on the right of the midfield – a position Moyes has said he believes the Germany youth international can play – there is also the possibility he could play in the middle with Garner starting on the right.
Everton enter the game in the bottom half of the table and with their European hopes dangling by a thread after three games without a win. Defeat would not end that dream after a clutch of rivals dropped points over the weekend – including Chelsea, who lost at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday afternoon – but it would leave the Blues with a lot of work to do with just three games left.
Their task will be even more challenging as City visit Hill Dickinson Stadium off the back of three consecutive wins and knowing only a win would allow them to keep pace with Arsenal in the hunt for another league crown.
Starting XI: Pickford; Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski, O’Brien; Garner, Iroegbunam; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Rohl; Beto.
Subs: Travers, Patterson, Coleman, McNeil, Armstrong, Alcaraz, Dibling, George, Barry.
Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly, Silva, Gonzalez, Doku, Semenyo, Cherki, Haaland.