David Moyes could hand Jack Grealish his Everton debut when they go to Leeds United on the opening weekend of the Premier League season this Monday.
Grealish arrived on a season-long loan from Manchester City last week, and looks ready to go from the off, despite playing no football in any capacity over the summer so far.
Following the signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as well this summer, it will be intriguing to see if and how Moyes accommodates the ex-Chelsea midfielder, Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye in the same XI.
Carlos Alcaraz has also made his loan move from Flamengo permanent, offering another option for Moyes in advanced areas, but the Argentine may have to settle for a place on the bench if Grealish is deemed fit to start.
Moyes also has a decision to make in attack, as new signing Thierno Barry was preferred to Beto in their friendly against Roma last week, but still looked as though he needs some time to settle into English football, while the latter showed fine form in the second half of last season.
While the Everton boss is spoilt for choice in attacking areas, there are still glaring problems at the back, and they were added to in midweek when Jarrad Branthwaite picked up a hamstring injury that is set to rule him out of the first few games of the season.
That now makes the decision to offer Michael Keane an extended contract a wise one, as he will now be required to fill in at centre-back, with Jake O’Brien likely to be Everton’s right-back this season, with Nathan Patterson not fit and out of form.
On the opposite flank there is also an injury concern, as Vitalii Mykolenko was forced off early on against Roma last week, but Moyes is hopeful he could be fit to start, meaning recent recruit Adam Aznou may have to wait for his first start.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall; Ndiaye, Beto, Grealish
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