LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 4: A plastic bottle is thrown at the Manchester City bench and hits one of the staff after Jeremy Doku scores his side’s equalising goal to make the score 3-3 during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 4, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
This will be Everton’s first game since that disaster of a transfer deadline day, and chances are David Moyes will have his (small) squad galvanized and ready to fight - “muck in” as he said at his press conference yesterday. If there is one thing the Scotsman has excelled at over the years, it’s taking his side when the odds are greatest against them and achieving some magic instead.
Who’s Out?
Summer signing Christian Nørgaard is still out, but should be the only one.
Everton squad available vs Manchester United
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Travers, King
Defenders: Branthwaite, Keane, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Patterson, Maitland-Niles
Midfielders: Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Hackney, Nørgaard (INJURED), Röhl,
Wingers: Alcaraz, Dibling, George, Johnson, Grealish.
Strikers: Barry.
Tactics and Formation
Everton will likely go in the 4-1-4-1 that we’ve seen during the preseason, with Garner in the DM role, and Rohl slotting in at right back where he’s looked useful. It would be unlike Moyes to start Grealish and Maitland-Niles right away, so one assumes they will be on the bench.
Starting XI
Jordan Pickford
Vitaliy Mykolenko
Jarrad Branthwaite
James Tarkowski
Merlin Rohl - Rohl will start until Maitland-Niles gets some more practice under the belt.
James Garner
Tyrique George - Same, George starts until Grealish has had a couple more weeks of training.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Harrison Armstrong - Has bounced back well from his transfer fiasco.
Brennan Johnson
Thierno Barry
Bench
Mark Travers
Michael Keane
Jake O’Brien
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Jack Grealish
Charly Alcaraz
Tyler Dibling
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Get used to seeing thin benches this season