Our Everton FC writers select their line-ups for their important Premier League encounter away to Brentford
Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton
Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton(Image: Ryan Jenkinson/Everton FC Official Photography Library/SmartFrame)
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Everton return to action after a three-week break today with a massive encounter against fellow European hopefuls Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium (3pm kick-off).
Both teams sit locked on 46 points in the Premier League table and both know victory this afternoon would move them above Chelsea into sixth and level on points with fifth-placed Liverpool, who occupy the final Champions League qualifying spot.
And the good news for Everton is that they have a virtually fully fit squad to choose from with only Carlos Alcaraz, who has returned to training, and Jack Grealish unavailable for selection.
Who, then, should Blues boss David Moyes for what truly is a crucial clash?
Our Everton writers have their say...
Joe Thomas
With David Moyes indicating he is close to having a full squad, the first team for Brentford should be relatively straightforward to pick.
We saw glimpses of Jarrad Branthwaite and Iliman Ndiaye in training over the break and the hope, considering Moyes' words at his pre-match press conference on Friday, is that Vitalii Mykolenkois also available after his adductor issue.
All three would therefore start for me in a side that would have just one change - Branthwaite coming in for Michael Keane.
Keane was very good against Chelsea and is having a great season - I enjoyed talking it through with him at Finch Farm last week.
I just think Brentford had too much joy against Everton's defence at Hill Dickinson Stadium in January and in the hope of nullifying Igor Thiago, who scored a hat-trick that day, I would look to change the centre-back pairing and introduce Branthwaite for his size and pace.
Elsewhere, Beto would continue his run up front in the hope that he can put to bed all those missed chances at the Gtech last season, while there is little reason to drop Dwight McNeil from the right, though I do go into the final seven games hoping Moyes can find more from his wider squad - this would be a great time for Tyler Dibling and Tyrique George to produce some magic when called upon.
My team: (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.
Who’d have thought it but while Merseyside hosts its biggest sporting event of the year with the Grand National, Everton will be at the opposite end of the country playing what could be their biggest game of the season so far.
As the Great British public enjoy a flutter on the action at Aintree, the Blues will be negotiating a trip to Brentford which is the first of seven obstacles to clear if they’re to return to European football after a nine-year absence.
Having lost manager Thomas Frank, the man who brought them back to the top flight after 74 years away, and a clutch of star players last summer, many thought the Bees would be fighting just to stay in the Premier League this term, but they’ve been one of the surprise packages under rookie boss Keith Andrews.
Yet so have Everton under the division’s elder statesman David Moyes.
With both teams level on points in seventh and eighth place respectively and just three days off a Champions League spot, it goes without saying that the stakes are massive in terms of potentially landing a huge psychological boost for the run-in, which for the Blues of course sees Liverpool next up in the historic first Merseyside derby at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium home.
Make no bones about it, Moyes will pick his strongest team for this one and that hopefully means a return for the club’s most valuable asset Jarrad Branthwaite.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.