Everton team news drops v Ipswich as injury boosts emerge at Goodison Park
Everton could welcome back four players from injury after the international break, and Sean Dyche has to make use of his newfound defensive depth.
Liverpool World reported on 8 October that Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson could all return from their respective thigh, calf and hamstring injuries against Ipswich on 19 October.
Seamus Coleman’s recovery from his own calf injury could also see him play at Portman Road in the Toffees’ first game back after the break, giving Dyche four new options in defence.
With the Blues keeping their first clean sheet of the season last time out against Newcastle, Dyche will be under pressure to make sure that, with a refreshed back four, that run of shut-outs continues.
Sean Dyche needs three points from new-look Everton defence
On paper, Dyche and his Toffees couldn’t have asked for many better matches off the back of the international break than facing a winless Ipswich side, but the pressure will still be on at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys sit just one point and one place below Dyche’s side in the table, and despite losing heavily to West Ham United last time out, drew 2-2 with high-flying Aston Villa in their last home game.
With Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Patterson and potentially Coleman all coming back into the starting XI after a varied length of absences, Dyche must get the balance right to claim another clean sheet.
Jordan Pickford’s penalty save against Newcastle on 5 October came without the aforementioned quartet in front of him, and he’ll certainly be glad to welcome back several first-choice defenders.
Patterson and Mykolenko could also give the Blues an attacking dimension down the flanks, while Branthwaite’s return will only ramp up the expectation on Dyche to come away from East Anglia with three points.
In other Everton news, the Toffees became the subject of a joke following Manchester City’s legal case with the Premier League.
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