Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison axed after Sean Dyche injury update – Everton predicted XI v Liverpool
Sean Dyche could be set to make changes to a winning Everton team when they travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
The Toffees picked up three wins in their last four games, including an impressive 3-0 victory over Bournemouth last time out before the international break.
But the boss is likely to make a few changes to his side ahead of a tough away trip to the local rivals, with a more defensive setup expected from the blues.
Jordan Pickford got a small break on international duty after not playing in the win over Australia, but the England no.1 played and played well in the win over Italy in midweek to ensure he’s sharp coming into this clash.
Dyche opted for a back five in the win over Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup and the performance was one of the best we’ve seen, which means he’s likely to go for something similar here again.
James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite are the first-choice central defender options but Michael Keane is experienced on the big stage and should slot in easily alongside them to form a back three.
Seamus Coleman remains unavailable at right-back but Ashley Young has been preferred in the role ahead of Nathan Patterson and he should continue in the side, with Vitalii Mykolenko taking his usual left-back role but slightly more advanced as a wing-back.
Idrissa Gueye was forced to withdraw from the team after injuring himself in the warm-up before the Bournemouth game but Dyche has confirmed he is fit and available to play so he should come back as a holding midfielder.
The duo of Amadou Onana and James Garner worked really well in his absence so both could slot in just ahead of him, providing energy from box-to-box as well as a goalscoring threat in possession and more defensive stability out of it.
Ahead of them Abdoulaye Doucoure has become a key member of the squad under Dyche and a trusted source of goals, so should get the nod as the number ten behind the main man Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front as he looks to continue his fine vein of form.
In other Everton news, Paul Merson predicts result in Merseyside derby clash as “surprise” motted.