Connor O'Neill, Chris Beesley and Paul Wheelock select their line-ups for Everton's Friday night Premier League showdown against Coventry City
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Tyler Dibling of Everton during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on October 29, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Tyler Dibling will be hoping for an Everton recall against Coventry City (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Everton will be looking to make it three wins in eight days when they take on Coventry City tonight. The Blues head into the game at Hill Dickinson Stadium on the back of two, quick successive victories over Newcastle United – in the Carabao Cup and then the Premier League.
David Moyes hopes to have Jarrad Branthwaite fit after he cramped up in the latter of those successes but the Everton boss confirmed on Thursday that Jack Grealish remains unavailable. It will be the fourth straight match that Grealish has missed and his third since he was dropped from the squad for what was described as a “breach of club discipline”.
So what side should the Everton boss select for the return of Frank Lampard, who led Coventry into the Premier League and now to three wins in their first nine games back in the top flight?
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Our writers have their say...
Connor O'Neill
I know this sounds boring, but for me the team that started against Newcastle United on Monday night has to start again.
And by saying that I do feel for Tyler Dibling and Hayden Hackney, who both must be thinking what they need to do to get a start in the Premier League.
However, you rarely change a winning team - and certainly not one that performed so well on Monday night at St James' Park.
So, with that said, Jordan Pickford, Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitalii Mykolenko make up my back five.
James Garner, Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should all start in the middle, with Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George out wide, and Thierno Barry up top.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Rohl, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 2: Thierno Barry of Everton celebrates his goal with Jake O'Brien and James Garner during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park on November 2, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Eveton FC via Getty Images)
Jake O'Brien (left) celebrates with Everton's match-winner Thierno Barry at Newcastle United on Monday(Image: Tony McArdle/Eveton FC via Getty Images)
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In front of him, Brennan Johnson could provide a genuine attacking option in the hope that the Wales international can grab his first Premier League goal for the club.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Rohl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.
Paul Wheelock
Never change a winning team? Well, one look at social media after the line-up at St James' Park on Monday was announced suggested that a number of Evertonians were unhappy that David Moyes had brought Jake O'Brien back in at right-back, with Merlin Rohl operating in front of him, and left Hayden Hackney and Tyler Dibling on the bench.
But the Blues boss got his team selection and tactics spot-on as his side recorded a thoroughly deserved 1-0 victory over Newcastle United.
So what does he do this evening? I'm torn. As Chris writes above, Rohl would be the more adventurous option at right-back, but I'm yet to be convinced that's his position. So I'm keeping faith with O'Brien.
But Rohl doesn't keep his place on the right side of midfield, which is tough. That instead goes to Tyler Dibling.
And what about Hayden Hackney? He is deserving of a start but as it stands, the trio of James Garner, Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remain Moyes' best midfield.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.