Everton vs Aston Villa: Predicted Line-Up | Moyes' Options

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How will the Blues line up under the second coming of the Moyesiah?

It's over. No more Dycheball at Goodison Park.

And now we have the return of a familiar face at Goodison Park: Mr David Moyes.

So how will the Scot line up his Blues for his Everton return?

Who's Out?

The club still aren't sure on the severity of Armando Broja's injury after being stretchered off against Peterborough, but he'll certainily miss this game at least.

Likewise, Dwight McNeil is still having some knee problems, meaning he'll join Youssef Chermiti, Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner on the sidelines.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Seamus Coleman should be available for selection once again.

EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS ASTON VILLA

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Begovic

Defenders: Keane, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson, Young, Dixon

Midfielders: Doucoure, Gueye, Garner (INJURED), Iroegbuman (INJURED), Mangala, Armstrong

Wingers: McNeil (INJURED), Harrison, Ndiaye, Lindstrom

Attackers: Calvert-Lewin, Beto, Chermiti (INJURED), Broja (INJURED)

Tactics and Formation

For once, predicting Everton's formation and line-up is far from an easy task.

One of the few certainties is that Jordan Pickford will be in goal, with Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back.

The Blues played with a back three against Peterborough, but that's not been a system Moyes has often used, so they'll probably revert back to a slightly more expansive of a 4-2-3-1 setup here.

Assuming it's a back four, it'll almost certainly be James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite in the middle.

The biggest question comes at right-back: Ashley Young has been the mainstay this season, but fellow Scot Nathan Patterson provides much more dynamism. Of course, it's possible that Moyesy may turn to the option he knows best: Seamus.

In midfield, Gueye and Mangala are likely to hold.

Another intriguing decision for Moyes will be whether he keeps Everton's best player this term, Ndiaye, on the left, or whether he'll finally give the Senegalese the chance to impact the game more from the number 10 role that Dyche refused to consider. Has Moyes seen enough on video or in the limited training sessions he's held?

The only case against that is Everton's lack of wide options, with Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrøm the only other available wide options.

So if Ndiaye is required out wide, that leaves another interesting decision to make. Doucoure is the obvious choice in the central attacking midfield role, but young Harrison Armstrong picked up the man of the match award against Peterborough. It would be a statement of intent to give him a start today.

Therefore, I'm expecting Doucoure to take the central role, but with a bit more licence to get forward, with Ndiaye on the left and probably Lindstrom on the right.

Calvert-Lewin to lead the line as long as he's fit enough.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford – 9/10

Nathan Patterson – 6/10

Jarrad Branthwaite – 9/10

James Tarkowski– 9/10

Vitaliy Mykolenko – 8/10

Idrissa Gana Gueye – 8/10

Orel Mangala – 7/10

Abdoulaye Doucoure - 6/10

Jesper Lindstrøm – 6/10

Iliman Ndiaye – 8/10

Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 8/10

Bench

Joao Virginia

Ashley Young

Seamus Coleman

Michael Keane

Jake O'Brien

Harrison Armstrong

Luke Butterfield

Jack Harrison

Beto