Everton predicted XI v Manchester United: Amadou Onana returns to action
Everton will face Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup on January 6 and Frank Lampard is expected to make changes for the trip to Old Trafford.
The Toffees will be without Nathan Patterson, while forwards Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anthony Gordon are doubts through illness and fatigue.
The FA Cup clash should see the return of midfield maestro Amadou Onana who missed the damning Brighton defeat at Goodison Park through suspension on January 3 and a potential start for young starlet Tom Cannon.
Jordan Pickford should retain his spot between the sticks for Lampard’s side, with the goalkeeper becoming a reliable mainstay in this otherwise frail Blues side.
Seamus Coleman should replace the injured Patterson on the right side of Lampard’s defence with the veteran full-back always someone who can be relied upon for the Toffees. Vitalii Mykolenko should line up on the opposite flank after some fairly decent outings as of late, in particular his performance against Manchester City.
Lampard will likely give Conor Coady and James Tarkowski the nod to start at the heart of the Everton defence, the tried and tested pairing will be needed against an in-form and fierce Marcus Rashford.
Everton have got used to seeing the midfield three of Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Amadou Onana and Lampard could opt to play the three together with a returning Onana replacing Tom Davies for the Blues.
Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray should retain their spots on the left hand and right hand side on Everton’s attack, Gray has been in fine goalscoring form recently and has looked like the Toffees best attacking outlet.
With Calvert-Lewin a doubt for the game. Lampard could give the chance to youngster Cannon to start at Old Trafford, and what a moment and chance that would be for the starlet to make a name for himself.
Neal Maupay is another option up front, but he has just one goal to his name this season and Lampard needs to try something new as he clings on to his job on Merseyside.
Predicted line-up: Pickford; Mykolenko, Coady, Tarkowski, Coleman; Iwobi, Gueye, Onana; McNeil, Gray, Cannon.