Everton has collected five points from their first three matches in the Premier League this season and despite playing a new brand of attacking football under Marco Silva, the team have adapted quickly enough.
Injuries to certain key players could stall their progress, however, as they face Huddersfield Town this weekend.
Everton – Team News
First and foremost, Brazilian winger Richarlison will miss the match after seeing a red card in Everton’s previous game against Bournemouth. James McCarthy is close to a return after his double leg fracture but Michael Keane will be out due to a hairline fracture on his skull.
Veteran defender Phil Jagielka has a knee issue, and hence the Toffees’ defensive resources are stretched. New signings Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina and Bernard are nursing their respective injuries and hence none of them are in contention to start this weekend.
Predicted Everton Lineup
Defence
Jordan Pickford will start between the sticks for the Toffees. He has made a few good saves already this season and the absence of a settled back four means he could have another tough outing this weekend.
Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines could combine to fill the fullback slots. Lucas Digne played well in Everton’s victory over Rotherham in the second round of the EFL Cup. However, the Frenchman is being accommodated slowly into the Toffees backline and hence Baines is expected to keep his place in the starting lineup.
Mason Holgate and Kurt Zouma could form the centre-back partnership. Silva will be worried about the injuries suffered by his first choice centre-backs, but the duo of Holgate and Zouma have their own set of merits as they are quick and good in the air.
Midfield
Idrissa Gueye will be tasked with shielding the back four, breaking attacks with his positional play and providing the drive from the deeper areas.
Tom Davies could start alongside Gueye in the two-man midfield pivot. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s creativity is being utilised by the former Watford boss as he is playing him behind Cenk Tosun, a position that the Iceland international generally prefers playing in.
Attack
Tosun is yet to get off the mark and he needs to get on the goal-scoring act pretty soon.
Theo Walcott and Dominic Calvert-Lewin could flank Sigurdsson, but Richarlison’s absence will deprive them of some offensive edge. However, Walcott and Calvert-Lewin’s pace, coupled with Sigurdsson’s tendency to pick out incisive passes through the centre could be a major part of Everton’s attacking pattern.
