David Moyes could revert to three at the back should Vitalii Mykolenko be forced out of Everton's season opener at Leeds United
Vitalii Mykolenko leaves the field through injury during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and AS Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Vitalii Mykolenko leaves the field through injury during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and AS Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Everton could be forced into a change of system should Vitalii Mykolenko be forced out of the season opener with Leeds United. The left back suffered an injury in the opening minutes of the friendly with Roma on Saturday.
David Moyes said the severity was unclear after the match - though the Ukraine international was able to walk out of Hill Dickinson Stadium unaided.
Should he be unavailable for the trip to Elland Road then that may require Moyes to take a gamble or shift from his preferred back four set-up.
The like-for-like replacement would be new signing Adam Aznou. The left back is highly-rated but inexperienced and struggled after coming on against Roma. He was later taken off for Seamus Coleman, whose return to fitness could provide another option for Moyes should Mykolenko be unavailable.
Instead of relying on Aznou to immediately get up to speed or on Coleman to play out of position, an alternative could be for Moyes to revert to a back three.
Everton’s squad is arguably strongest at centre back and a combination of Jake O’Brien, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski would offer a solid last line of defence.
That partnership would then allow Moyes to consider Aznou at left wing back, a position that is more naturally suited to his attacking instincts and one in which he would have greater protection than at left back.
Coleman could patrol the opposite flank, though Moyes could be tempted to call on someone like Dwight McNeil to sit deeper on the left instead of Aznou.
If he were to do that, he could turn to a midfield three of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye with Iliman Ndiaye or Carlos Alcaraz playing behind the front man.
That would likely be Beto, who has taken the number nine shirt for the new season, though he has endured a tough summer.
Beto's only goal in pre-season came from the spot away at Accrington Stanley last month.
Thierno Barry started the Roma game in his place but Moyes, while positive about him after the game, stressed the 22-year-old would require patience to settle into the Premier League.
As well as Mykolenko, Everton are also monitoring the condition of Harrison Armstrong and Nathan Patterson.
Armstrong was absent at the weekend over a minor thigh strain suffered in training and his availability for Leeds will be touch and go.
Patterson is being assessed over a possible hernia issue.