All eyes will be on whether or not Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit enough to spearhead Everton’s attack against Bournemouth as the Blues fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season.
Everton’s number nine went off with a hamstring problem an hour into in Sean Dyche’s first match in charge – a 1-0 win over Arsenal on February 1 – and subsequently missed the next 10 games before returning at Crystal Palace on April 22. Calvert-Lewin has now started the last half dozen fixtures for the Blues but has been withdrawn early in each of the last two.
With Everton already 2-0 down at home to Manchester City, Dyche made a call to take his centre-forward off at half-time because of a tight groin while against Wolverhampton Wanderers he limped off in first half stoppage time with what is suspected to be a fresh hamstring issue.
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Even though Calvert-Lewin’s only goal since returning has been from the penalty spot at Leicester City, his presence leading the line has dramatically altered the shape of the Blues’ attack and fans will now be nervously waiting to see if he is declared fit to face the Cherries as the club bids to avoid a first relegation in 72 years.
If Calvert-Lewin is unable to feature, Dyche must decide upon what kind of striker to use instead but none of those at his disposal from Neal Maupay, Demarai Gray or Ellis Simms offer what could be considered a like-for-like replacement. There is a similar issue at right-back with Nathan Patterson also having to go off at Molineux with what the manager described as a suspected hamstring issue.
Captain Seamus Coleman has already been sidelined while Ben Godfrey who has also operated in that area wasn’t fit enough to be included in the squad for the past four matches and if he is unable to return, Mason Holgate is the only natural alternative. Everton will also be hoping that Vitalii Mykolenko is fit to return at left-back as again, unless Godfrey is back, there’s nobody who could be described as being comfortable in that position and left winger Dwight McNeil, who has been one of the team’s brightest attacking outlets in recent weeks had to sacrifice his creative powers by being pushed back there at Wolves.
Yerry Mina and James Tarkowski have been the starting centre-back options for the past three games and will be expected to continue their partnership although with fitness issues elsewhere, the possibility of Michael Keane returning somewhere in defence cannot be discounted.
Everton started with four players naturally at home in central midfield last time out so one from Idrissa Gueye, James Garner, Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure might have to make way while Alex Iwobi – who started on the left – could move back across to the right wing.
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