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View: DCL out and King to make first start in 3 changes - Everton predicted XI v Fulham
Everton host relegation-threatened Fulham on Sunday on the back of a pulsating extra-time FA Cup victory in midweek.
The Blues were put through their paces against Tottenham Hotspur but ran out 5-4 winners in a match that will have taken a lot out of their tiring legs.
However they will have had nearly four full days rest by the time Sunday’s evening kick-off comes around so there is hope that the team will have fully recovered by then, though there are a number of worrying injury concerns ahead of the game.
At Goodison News we have named our predicted Everton XI to take on Fulham on Sunday…
In goal it is still unknown whether Jordan Pickford is fit enough to return to action so it looks like Robin Olsen will have to continue in the Everton sticks despite shipping seven goals in his last two games with the Sweden international culpable for a few of them.
There are big decisions to make in defence after Yerry Mina’s disasterclass v Spurs on Wednesday.
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His glaring error allowed Erik Lamela to score just before half-time and brought Spurs back into a game that they looked out of and we think the Colombian will pay the price for this by being dropped back to the bench where he was sat when the Blues drew 3-3 at Old Trafford last weekend.
Michael Keane was by no means exceptional v Spurs but should keep his place with Ben Godfrey shifting across to join him as he did against Manchester United.
There are worries over the fitness of Lucas Digne after he was withdrawn in extra-time on Wednesday but we are hopeful this was just a precaution after only just coming back from a serious injury in January and starting five successive matches.
It looks to be a straight shoot-out between Seamus Coleman and Mason Holgate on the right side of defence but we fancy the Everton captain to win this battle after a dogged display from the bench in the midweek win over Spurs.
The midfield pairing is an easy decision with Tom Davies coming off the back of two of his most impressive performances in a Blues shirt while Abdoulaye Doucoure will be hoping to match his Old Trafford heroics when he notched a goal and assist in their previous league outing.
Either Richarlison or Gylfi Sigurdsson played a role in all five of Everton’s goals on Wednesday (Richarlison – two goals, Sigurdsson – one goal and three assists) and look like shoo-ins to start on Sunday.
The Icelandic international impressed in an attacking midfield role v Spurs and must be rewarded with another start in his natural position.
That means James Rodriguez could start from the right-hand side after missing the cup dramatics with a tight calf as Carlo Ancelotti told reporters pre-Spurs that he would feature on Sunday.
There was an extremely worrying sight for Blues fans on Wednesday when star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin hobbled off the pitch at Goodison Park and assistant manager Duncan Ferguson told BT Sport after the game that the England international may have ‘tweaked his hamstring’ placing him as a serious doubt for the Fulham fixture.
As such an important player for the rest of the season, we do not think there is any chance he will be risked against a side that has not recorded a Premier League victory since November 30.
Therefore we could see a Goodison Park debut for Joshua King who is primed for his first start in a Blues shirt after his deadline-day move from Bournemouth.
While he may not possess the physical presence of Calvert-Lewin he is certainly a willing runner who will look to stretch defences with his clever runs in behind which should give the likes of Rodriguez and Sigurdsson plenty of space in the Everton midfield to plot their way past Scott Parker’s team.
This all means that there is set to be three changes from the side that dumped Spurs out of the cup with Coleman, Rodriguez and King coming in for Mina, Alex Iwobi and Calvert-Lewin.
The Blues have to pick up all three points here ahead of tricky ties coming up against Manchester City and Liverpool.
If they do we could find ourselves as high as fifth at the end of the week depending on other results.
The race for European qualification is heating up and the Blues are fully amongst the chasing pack.
In other Everton news, see our view on the Blues star that showed class is permanent in man of the match display v Spurs.