Everton travel to the South Coast to face an in-form Bournemouth team. The Toffees are looking to make amends for their late 3-2 defeat to the Cherries earlier in the season. Last Word on Football brings you our Everton predicted lineup for the fixture that kicks off at 3 pm on Saturday, January 4.
Everton Predicted Lineup Vs Bournemouth in First Premier League Match of the Year
How Everton Have Lined Up
Due to a thin squad, minimal rotation has happened over the previous month. The two changes in the team were Ashley Young’s suspension forcing the move to club captain Seamus Coleman two games ago, and Armando Broja earning his first start in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the lone striker.
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Across the rest of the defence, Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski have started every game this season. Jarrad Branthwaite has started when available alongside Tarkowski in the centre of defence. Vitaliy Mykolenko remains the only fit left back in the first team.
Iliman Ndiaye provides the excitement on the left of midfield. On the right, Jack Harrison has earned starts over Jesper Lindstrom in recent matches. A midfield three of Orel Mangala, Idrissa Gueye, and Abdoulaye Doucoure was used last month.
Everton’s Recent Form and Tactics
Nottingham Forest handed Everton their second defeat of a tough set of December fixtures. Before the 2-0 loss, the Toffees had conceded just one goal in their previous four games.
Their defence has seen some much-needed improvement and is the building block for the team. It has been led by a change to a more traditional three-man midfield.
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The change isolates the striker up top to compete for long balls coming from the defence. The Toffees best-attacking outlet is Ndiaye on the left, with any quality charge forward almost always going through the Senegalese international.
Everton Injuries To Consider
In this week’s press conference, Sean Dyche outlined the fitness of the first-team squad. Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner have both returned to training but remain unable to select. Dwight McNeil’s injury continues to have setbacks and he will once again miss this match. Coleman suffered calf tightness two games ago that will sideline him for this fixture.
Everton Predicted Lineup Vs Bournemouth
GK: Jordan Pickford
RB: Ashley Young
CB: Jarrad Branthwaite
CB: James Tarkowski
LB: Vitaliy Mykolenko
CM: Orel Mangala
CM: Idrissa Gueye
CAM: Abdoulaye Doucoure
LM: Iliman Ndiaye
RM: Jesper Lindstrom
ST: Armando Broja
