Everton return to Premier League action tomorrow afternoon when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Blues head to the capital on the back of a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Fulham at Goodison Park last time out. The loss left Sean Dyche’s side one place above the drop zone with just seven games remaining.
However, the Blues are set to be boosted by the long-awaited return of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who Dyche said 'will be in the thinking' to feature at Selhurst Park.
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Calvert-Lewin has made just 12 appearances this season and has been sidelined with a hamstring issue for more than two months. He has only featured once under Dyche, in his first game in charge when Everton beat Arsenal at Goodison.
But following last weekend’s disappointment, the Blues boss has a number of team selection decisions to make. However, one person who is destined to start against Roy Hodgson’s side is Jordan Pickford.
Elsewhere at the back, Dyche has plenty of options to choose from. But one suspects James Tarkowski and Michael Keane will be given the nod to start at the heart of the Blues’ defence.
Out wide, and with Seamus Coleman once again missing due to injury, Nathan Patterson could come in at right-back in place of Ben Godfrey, while Vitalii Mykolenko is expected to start at left-back.
In midfield, a lot will depend on the fitness of Amadou Onana, who missed last weekend’s defeat to Fulham with a groin injury. But having returned to training this week, he could well return to partner Idrissa Gueye and James Garner.
Alex Iwobi and Dwight McNeil, one suspects, will start out wide, with Demarai Gray leading the line in place of Neal Maupay. The former Brighton man endured another frustrating outing against Marco Silva’s side, wasting two glorious chances in the first-half.
And even though Calvert-Lewin looks to be back in contention, it is hard to imagine he will be thrown straight back in. A cameo off the bench seems the most logical approach.
Predicted Everton line-up (4-5-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; McNeil, Gueye, Garner; Onana, Iwobi; Gray.
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