Everton vs Crystal Palace: Predicted Line-Up | Will Branthwaite return tighten the defence?

Yesterday at 10:22 AM

How will the Blues line up as they look for a first win?

A point is on the board. Hurrah.

But only three more for Everton this weekend will relieve the mounting pressure on Sean Dyche.

So how will the Blues line up when they welcome a Crystal Palace side who are also without a win yet this season?

Who's Out?

Good news! Jarrad Branthwaite is back available. Whether he is thrown straight back into the starting line-up or not is another question, but let's hope so.

After illness rampaged the squad last week, the Blues will have considerably more players to chose from this weekend.

That means Vitaliy Mykolenko, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye all return, leaving just Nathan Patterson, Seamus Coleman, Youssef Chermiti and Armando Broja unavailable.

Patterson is nearing a return though and is expected to line-up with the under-21s once more on Monday as he looks to build up his fitness. I'd guess he'll be back in the squad next week.

EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS PALACE

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Virginia, Begovic

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

Midfielders: Doucoure, Gueye, Garner, Iroegbuman, Mangala, Armstrong

Wingers: McNeil, Harrison, Ndiaye, Lindstrom

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

Tactics and Formation

It was a largely positive performance against Leicester last week, so it's difficult to say how much he'll change the side.

Obviously the biggest question is whether Branthwaite will start. I'm hopeful.

At left-back, Mykolenko will probably return to the side, leaving a choice between Young and Garner at right-back.

In midfield, Mangala and Doucoure put in good shifts last week, so they'll probably keep their places given that Gueye hardly trained this week.

Ndiaye, McNeil and DCL will all start, so it's just a question of whether Lindstrom (who was much improved against Leicester) will keep his place or will be replaced by Harrison.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford – 9/10

Ashley Young – 6/10

Jarrad Branthwaite – 6/10

James Tarkowski – 9/10

Vitaliy Mykolenko – 7/10

Orel Mangala – 8/10

Abdoulaye Doucoure –8/10

Iliman Ndiaye - 8/10

Dwight McNeil – 9/10

Jesper Lindstrom – 6/10

Dominic Calvert-Lewin– 9/10

Bench

Joao Virginia

Roman Dixon

Michael Keane

Jake O'Brien

James Garner

Idrissa Gana Gueye

Tim Iroegbunam

Jack Harrison

Beto