Everton play their first game of 2022 and their first since December 16 when they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday but just what side will the Blues field?
Rafa Benitez has some intriguing selection calls to make for the Seagulls visit and members of the ECHO sports desk have been having their say.
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Chris Beesley: Unfamiliar formation given the tools at Benitez's disposal
With two-and-a-half weeks having gone by since Everton’s last fixture when a heavily-patched up side earned a 1-1 draw at Chelsea, it’s difficult to work out what system Rafa Benitez might deploy against Brighton & Hove Albion and indeed which personnel he’s able to deploy.
With the Blues boss tight-lipped over who is available, a certain amount of guess work is therefore required based upon who was photographed in the latest training pictures from Finch Farm.
Given that last season’s top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin – absent with a quadriceps injury since the reverse fixture at the Amex Stadium some four months ago – is now fit to return, it seems a shame that the likes of Richarlison and Andros Townsend don’t appear to be around to flank him.
Benitez is not known for adopting a 4-3-3 formation but given the tools he seems to have at his disposal here, that’s the way I’d go with Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon either side of Calvert-Lewin in front of a three man midfield.
New signing Vitaliy Mykolenko isn’t eligible to play so I’d restore Lucas Digne at left-back, even if it is a temporary measure.
My team (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Digne, Keane, Godfrey; Allan, Gomes, Doucoure; Gray, Gordon, Calvert-Lewin.
Paul Wheelock: Just having the England man on the pitch will be a huge boost
Richarlison, Andros Townsend, Yerry Mina, Jarrad Branthwaite and Fabian Delph appeared to be the only faces missing in the training pictures released by the club earlier this week. So, on that assumption, they will be missing against Brighton.
That would be a big shame for Branthwaite given his performance and equalising goal in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea way back on December 16.
But it could well bring an opportunity for Lucas Digne to return to the side after he returned to training. But with the Blues having completed the signing of Vitaliy Mykolenko, I do wonder if Digne will be on the bench at best if the club is considering selling him during the January transfer window.
One player who will surely start is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, for whom it will be his first appearance since he sealed the win in the reverse fixture at Brighton back in August.
He'll be rusty - he won't be the only one given the last three matches have been postponed - but hopefully the extra time on the training ground will ensure he's fully fit if not fully match sharp.
That should be expected given the length of time he has been out. But just having the England man on the pitch will be a huge boost for what is a crucial match to start the New Year.
There should also be recalls for Seamus Coleman, Allan and Demarai Gray in what should be a stronger Everton team that the one that started the gutsy draw at Stamford Bridge.
My team (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey; Allan, Gomes, Doucoure; Gordon, Calvert-Lewin, Gray.
Jake Bayliss: Calvert-Lewin could prove to be the difference
It’s tough to know exactly who Rafa Benitez will have available when Everton make their long-awaited return to league action.
However, the good news is that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has returned to full training and given the team’s extended break, I’d be tempted to play him from the start.
It’s also good to see that things are already moving behind the scenes as well, with the Blues bringing in Vitaliy Mykolenko, but I’d still expect Ben Godfrey to be filling in at left-back in place of Lucas Digne.
While there looks to be several key absences within the squad, given the positives to come out of Everton’s performance against Chelsea, I’d largely go with the same line-up against Brighton but with a slightly more attacking formation .
My team (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Godfrey; Allan, Doucoure, Gomes; Gray, Gordon, Calvert-Lewin.
