Vitalii Mykolenko replaced by Mason Holgate – Confirmed Everton starting XI vs Manchester City
Sean Dyche’s confirmed Everton starting XI for the crucial clash with Manchester City at Goodison Park has been released by the club.
Mason Holgate comes into the side in place of Vitalii Mykolenko who isn’t in the squad in the only change from the 5-1 win at Brighton last week.
Amadou Onana and Demarai Gray remain on the bench as James Garner keeps his place in the midfield, as does Yerry Mina in defence, with the manager aiming for continuity from his side.
Otherwise Jordan Pickford remains in goal, with James Tarkowski and Nathan Patterson joining Mina and Holgate in the back line.
Garner partners Idrissa Gana Gueye in the middle of the park, while Alex Iwobi and Dwight McNeil are on the wings and Abdoulaye Doucouré is in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
This will be only the second Premier League game that Mykolenko hasn’t featured in this season, while Holgate is set to make just his seventh in all competitions across the entire campaign.
Momentum
It hasn’t happened often in the past two years of struggle but Everton have the wind at their back going into this one after a stunning performance on the south coast to blow Brighton away last week (8 May).
Tests don’t come much tougher than Pep Guardiola’s side this season, but off the back of the best win in a long time and in front of the home fans there will be belief.
Dyche kicked off the Toffees revival with a 1-0 home win over City’s title rivals Arsenal back on 4 February, and though there have been more than enough ups and downs since that day there is no reason to rule out a repeat.
There are just two relegation spots remaining after Southampton’s fate was sealed on Saturday, and with Leeds United’s draw against Newcastle earlier in the day leaving them a point and a place behind Dyche’s Everton there is a huge opportunity to move away on offer.
Wolves and Bournemouth to finish the campaign will obviously be the easier challenges on paper, but a result at Goodison Park against the defending champions would put the Toffees in a superb position to emulate last season and secure safety with the penultimate game.
All won’t be lost if the team top of the table get the win that the season suggests they should, but Gary Neville is among those who believe the home side can get something here.