Sean Dyche to axe Demarai Gray and Ben Godfrey as Ellis Simms leads the line – Predicted Everton starting XI vs Tottenham
Sean Dyche is predicted to make two Everton changes for the visit of Tottenham by dropping Demarai Gray and Ben Godfrey from the draw at Chelsea.
After Ellis Simms’ dramatic first goal for the club to secure a point at Stamford Bridge on 18 March the Toffees boss is likely to insert the striker into the starting line up to lead the line, with top-scorer Gray unlucky to miss out.
Vitalii Mykolenko had started every Premier League game at left-back until he missed the 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest on 5 March with an illness, with converted centre-back Godfrey keeping his place for the subsequent two matches.
But while he is fine in the middle he often looks lost on the left so the Ukrainian is expected to reprise his place when Spurs come to Goodison Park on Monday (3 April).
Other than that it is a matter of it not being (too) broke so not fixing it, as three games unbeaten and five points picked up along the way has not been a frequent occurrence this season, not least with five goals scored in that time.
Aside from Gray’s penalty at the City Ground and Simms’ first at Chelsea, two of those goals have come in the form of one each in the away draws from the revitalised Abdoulaye Doucouré, so he will certainly be behind Simms at the tip of the midfield.
Dwight McNeil, Dyche’s man at Burnley, immediately went into the line up once the Everton boss took over and has responded with some improved performances, including the excellent first-minute winner over Brentford on 11 March, and Alex Iwobi has done nothing to warrant losing his place after starting every game for Dyche, so will start out wide.
Gray will be unfortunate to drop out, as he has leads the club’s scoring charts with six and his elevation over the ineffective Neal Maupay as main forward saw the goal output increase, but Simms fits the profile of striker the manager prefers and will be high on confidence.
Idrissa Gueye is likely to keep his place at the base of the midfield, while Amadou Onana alongside him is certain to start.
Ex-Burnley pair James Tarkowski and Michael Keane will as well, and Seamus Coleman has been excellent since filling in for Nathan Patterson. Jordan Pickford will, as ever, be in goal.