Mason Holgate axed in formation change, Dominic Calvert-Lewin starts – Confirmed Everton XI vs Wolves
Sean Dyche’s confirmed Everton starting XI for the crucial Premier League visit to Wolves at Molineux has been released by the club.
Mason Holgate has been dropped after the unfortunate defender was criticised in auxiliary duty as a full-back in defeat to Manchester City last week, in what appears to be a change of formation to a 3-5-1-1 with Dominic Calvert-Lewin fit to start up front.
Amadou Onana returns to the first XI in a packed midfield alongside Abdoulaye Doucouré, James Garner and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Jordan Pickford is in goal with James Tarkowski and Yerry Mina in defence with Nathan Patterson, but absent a fourth defender the assumption has to be that Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi will be functioning as wing-backs on either side of that formidable central foursome.
Doucouré will surely be the furthest midfielder forward supporting Calvert-Lewin in attack.
Massive
Three points against Julen Lopetegui’s side and by the end of the weekend it is possible that Everton could be confirmed as a Premier League outfit at the penultimate hurdle once more.
Anything less and the battle will go right down to the wire and the fans’ nerves will be pushed to the limit all week long.
Despite there being some decidedly depressing outings under Dyche it is a testament to the job he has done against the odds in the second half of the season to even be in this position.
It is impossible to say how Frank Lampard would have fared in charge but the indicators weren’t positive before his January departure.
No signings in the window and the loss of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle made the incoming boss’ job even tougher.
So for the fate of the season, and potentially so much more, to come down to a game against a Wolves side that has nothing to play for, and possibly a Bournemouth outfit in a similar situation, could be a lot worse.
But fixtures on paper being easier means nothing if the players don’t perform, so the manager needs to have got it right with his line up, and they need to back him up on the pitch.