Our Everton writers select their teams for today's Premier League clash at Brighton & Hove Albion
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 26: Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton applauds the supporters at full-time following the Premier League match between Everton and Leeds United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 26, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Jarrad Branthwaite applauds the supporters at full-time following the Premier League match between Everton and Leeds United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 26, 2026(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
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Everton will look to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion today (Saturday). The Blues had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Monday as their struggles at Hill Dickinson Stadium continued.
But while David Moyes' men have gone five games without a victory in front of their home supporters, they have taken seven points from their last nine available on the road and a repeat of last season's memorable success at the Amex Stadium would make it three away wins on the run.
Everton have been dealt the devastating news that on-loan star Jack Grealish may not play again this season. But Moyes could otherwise have a fully fit squad to choose from for the clash with the Seagulls.
So what should the Blues boss do? Our writers have their say...
Joe Thomas
It was at the AMEX that David Moyes picked up the first of his 10 Premier League away wins in his second stint at Everton, pretty much 12 months ago.
He left the south coast with new injury problems after Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Orel Mangala suffers serious setbacks but heads there this time with a squad rejuvenated by the return of so many stars.
We saw the change in quality in the second half against Leeds United, when the comebacks of Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye from the Africa Cup of Nations were supplemented by the addition of Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Moyes later conceded the latter two were introduced to first-team action earlier than he had hoped and the challenge now is re-integrating them without pushing them too hard.
Given how long Branthwaite was out for and that the Blues have such depth at centre back, I’d ease him in slowly and therefore put him on the bench on Saturday. With Dewsbury-Hall, his creativity is so needed in the absence of Jack Grealish and, his injury having been so much less severe, I would start him.
The other change I would make to the team that was so poor in the first half against Leeds would be to swap Dwight McNeil for Tyler Dibling on the right. I don’t think McNeil works on the right and I think now is the time to go all-in on Dibling in a similar fashion to how Moyes did with Thierno Barry.
A run of games will hopefully give him the chance to build the form to kickstart his Everton career.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry.
Chris Beesley
David Moyes has plenty to ponder as Everton return to Brighton & Hove Albion, the site of the first of their 10 Premier League away wins in a year since he returned. First, let’s start with the more ‘straightforward’ selection choices.
Harrison Armstrong, who celebrated his 19th birthday last week, has been hugely impressive since he was recalled early from his season long loan spell at Preston North End, but if Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is fit enough to start then he comes back into the most advanced central midfield role.
After this game, Moyes then faces a dilemma over whether to keep the home-grown hero from West Derby in his squad or send him back to Deepdale and while Armstrong hasn’t looked out of place in the Premier League, with more senior options returning to fitness – including Charly Alcaraz – the Glaswegian gaffer could decide to give him more regular guaranteed minutes in the Championship again to continue his football education.
Dwight McNeil’s performance against Leeds United has been a major talking point among Blues this week. With Jack Grealish out for the foreseeable future, I’d still be willing to let the former Burnley man keep his place but with the major caveat that he switches wings and plays on the left and the more ambidextrous Iliman Ndiaye goes on to the right because watching McNeil embark upon huge turning circles to work the angle onto his left foot when out on the right is painful and I believe he could be for more effective on the opposite flank.
It’s defence where Moyes arguably has his biggest calls to make though with all four of his centre-backs available for the first time this season. Michael Keane has arguably been Everton’s most consistent defender so far this term but the timing of his three-match suspension for pulling Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare’s hair has been unfortunate as, returning from that ban here, I think he could struggle to get back in.
If Jarrad Branthwaite, who like Dewsbury-Hall played the entire second half against Daniel Farke’s charges, is fit to start, he comes straight back in for me because with his pace and ability to carry the ball forward from defence and break through the lines with his passing, he adds a new dimension to the Blues’ play. While many have declared that they hope the Jake O’Brien experiment at right-back is over, I’d stick him back there for this one so ‘The Carlisle Kaiser’ can be restored to the side.
That might seem harsh on natural right-back Nathan Patterson who has done alright in recent weeks, but like with the aforementioned Armstrong and Merlin Rohl, who lost his place to Idrissa Gueye after his best display for the club at Aston Villa, these are the ruthless choices Moyes must make.
If Branthwaite isn’t ready for 90 minutes, then I would keep the same back four that started against Leeds United.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye,; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil; Barry.