Everton predicted XI v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton will be desperate to arrest an alarming slump in form when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
Monday night’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves made it three successive defeats for the Blues and they have recorded just one win in their last seven games, in sharp contrast to the five-game unbeaten run that greeted Rafa Benitez’s arrival.
Now, they are set to face a Spurs side with renewed hope after the appointment of ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as Nuno Espirito Santo’s replacement.
Benitez needs a reaction from his players and he could opt to make a few changes for Sunday, including one in defence.
Lucas Digne missed Monday’s defeat at Molineux with a muscle problem and Benitez confirmed that the French full-back will be monitored ahead of Sunday [Liverpool Echo].
That’s a fairly positive update, and given Ben Godfrey’s struggles at left-back against Wolves, including the backpass for their second goal, Digne will surely be given every chance to prove his fitness.
Benitez must then choose who to drop from Godfrey, Seamus Coleman, Mason Holgate and Michael Keane, all of whom were poor at Wolves.
Given that was his first Premier League start since August, Holgate looks the most likely to make way.
Yerry Mina remains an absentee and is unlikely to be fielded in front of Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal.
Benitez has another big decision in midfield with Abdoulaye Doucoure still on the sidelines.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin was handed a rare start on Monday but the £25million man [BBC] endured a torrid 45 minutes before making way for Fabian Delph, who was a marked improvement on the Ivory Coast international.
That could see the 31-year-old given his first start of the season for the visit of Spurs on Sunday.
Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray should keep their spots despite less productivity in recent weeks, while Richarlison will be spearheading the attack.
The final spot along the forward line should go to Anthony Gordon after his lively cameo in the West Midlands earlier this week and that means, despite his goal, Alex Iwobi will drop to the bench. The £34million signing from Arsenal [BBC] simply did not offer enough outside of that goal.
Here’s how we expect Everton to line up at Goodison Park against Spurs on Sunday, with three changes to the side from the 2-1 defeat at Wolves…
In other Everton news, the Blues are ready to trigger the multi-million release clause of this international centre-midfielder.
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