An examination of the potential changes to the starting 11 that David Moyes could make for Everton's game against Bournemouth at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday
With only long-term absentee Jack Grealish unavailable with a stress fracture in his foot, which is expected to prevent him from playing again in his current loan spell from Manchester City, Everton manager David Moyes has more options available to him ahead of Bournemouth’s trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday than at any other point this season.
It was testament to the Blues’ increasing numbers that a bench that contained several youngsters for the FA Cup third-round exit to Sunderland and couldn’t even be filled with two goalkeepers for the win at Aston Villa, didn’t even include club captain Seamus Coleman, Dwight McNeil or Adam Aznou within the 20-man matchday squad for the 2-1 comeback victory at Fulham.
Coleman, was up at the top of the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage, assisting Moyes, who was serving a one-match touchline ban, but if either he McNeil or Aznou do get back into the squad to face the Cherries, it seems likely to only be as a substitute.
There is a big defensive call for the Glaswegian gaffer to make, though, when it comes to the squad’s most valuable player.
After not playing a competitive game for eight months, Jarrad Branthwaite made his first appearance of the season as a half-time substitute for Everton’s most recent home game against Leeds United.
The England international subsequently went on to turn out for 135 minutes over the following five days after going the distance in the 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he was deployed at left-back in a defence consisting of four natural centre-backs.
Managing the 23-year-old’s recovery following a surgical procedure to cure a recurring hamstring injury, Moyes then chose to put Branthwaite back on the bench at Craven Cottage and he only introduced him to the action on 85 minutes.
His replacement Vitalii Mykolenko endured mixed fortunes as, following Jordan Pickford’s save from Raul Jimenez, the ball rebounded off him and into the net for an 18th-minute own goal before the Ukraine international’s cross provided the assist for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 75th minute equaliser.
Competition is now fierce across the backline and if Moyes wants to retain the services of an orthodox left-back then Branthwaite could come in for either Michael Keane or James Tarkowski – who has played every minute of the season so far – while Nathan Patterson offers the choice of a natural right-back over Jake O’Brien.
There are also plenty of options in midfield too.
Idrissa Gueye and James Garner remain the incumbent pair in the engine room with Dewsbury-Hall in a more advanced central role.
Home-grown hero Harrison Armstrong, who has now been retained for the rest of the season rather than being sent back on loan to Preston North End, could occupy any of those positions, but having started the last half a dozen matches, he’s currently sharing wing duties with Iliman Ndiaye.
Merlin Rohl, Charly Alcaraz and Tim Iroegbunam, who came on deep into stoppage time, could all fill midfield berths and were among the substitutes at Craven Cottage. The same goes for winger Tyler Dibling, who remained on the bench after Moyes’ “I better get my finger out” comments following the loan signing of Tyrique George.
George did get on in the 68th minute and played his part in Everton’s comeback and could be pushing to start as a more natural wide option as the Blues look to get back to winning ways by the banks of the Mersey.
Ditto Beto, who was not restored to the starting line-up despite his last-gasp leveller at the Amex Stadium a week before on his 28th birthday.
The Guinea-Bissau international’s hard pressing kept Fulham on the back foot in the latter stages, so could he earn a recall at the expense of Thierno Barry?