A short trip across the park. The last of the really short trips.
And it’s not a place Mr Moyes (nor Everton for that matter) have a lot of happy memories of in. In fact, the Moyesiah has never won at Anfield in 22 attempts. Yikes?!
So how can he set the record straight and line up his Mighty Blues of Everton for this one against Liverpool?
Who’s Out?
The good news is that the injury list has shrank significantly in recent weeks, with just Orel Mangala and Dominic Calvert-Lewin definitely ruled out.
The great news is that Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye have both returned to full training and have a chance to be involved here.
Vitaliy Mykolenko picked up a thigh injury on international duty but has been training since returning to Finch Farm.
EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS THEM LOT
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Begovic
Defenders: Keane, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko (DOUBT), Coleman (DOUBT), Patterson, Young, Dixon
Midfielders: Doucoure, Gueye, Garner, Iroegbunam, Mangala (INJURED), Alcaraz
Wingers: McNeil (DOUBT), Harrison, Ndiaye (DOUBT), Lindstrom
Attackers: Calvert-Lewin (INJURED), Beto, Chermiti, Broja
Tactics and Formation
Although it’s great to see Ndiaye and McNeil back available, it’s probably premature to expect them to start just yet, despite Everton’s lack of wide options.
At the back, it will probably be the standard O’Brien-Tarkowski-Branthwaite-Mykolenko, assuming the latter is fit. If not, Ashley Young may be rolled out.
In midfield, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye will be holding.
Hopefully we don’t see a repeat of Doucoure and Alcaraz trying to be forced into the same team, so Lindstrøm will probably come in on the right and Harrison moving to the left (unless Ndiaye is considered fit enough already). Ideally Alcaraz getting the nod through the middle.
Up top, we’ll surely see Beto leading the line.
The good news is – likely for the first time this season – that the Blues will have plenty of attacking options from the bench (Ndiaye, McNeil, Broja, Chermiti) to turn to if needed. There might even be a couple of senior players left out of the squad (likely Coleman and one other), which might provide some insight as to who might be let go in the summer (a particularly interesting insight if this is a decision between two of our other right backs: Young and Patterson).
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford – 9/10
Jake O’Brien – 9/10
Jarrad Branthwaite – 9/10
James Tarkowski– 9/10
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 6/10
Idrissa Gana Gueye – 9/10
James Garner - 9/10
Jesper Lindstrøm – 7/10
Jack Harrison – 6/10
Carlos Alcaraz – 6/10
Beto – 9/10
Bench
Joao Virginia
Nathan Patterson
Ashley Young
Michael Keane
Tim Iroegbunam
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Iliman Ndiaye
Youssef Chermiti
Armando Broja