Connor O’Neill - More of the same
After calling for changes last time out against Brentford, the opposite is being suggested this week.
More of the same is what is required at Stamford Bridge this evening, and that includes Michael Keane keeping his place at the back. Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, Seamus Coleman and Ben Godfrey should make up the rest of the back five.
Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwboi should start on either flank, with Idrissa Gueye starting behind Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana in the middle of the pitch. While up top, Demarai Gray should lead the line instead of Neal Maupay.
My team (4-1-4-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey; Gueye; McNeil, Doucoure, Onana, Iwobi; Gray.
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Chris Beesley - No scope to mix things up
Everton go in search of their first three points at Stamford Bridge in over 28 years but while their record away at Chelsea desperately needs to change, Sean Dyche's team does not.
The Blues boss hardly has any scope to mix things up as it is and after claiming in his pre-match press conference on Thursday - the player's 26th birthday - that Dominic Calvert-Lewin had not really been in his thoughts for this game anyway after the striker was not spotted in training alongside his team-mates, there aren't really any hidden aces up the manager's sleeve in terms of potential match-winners who he can draft in.
Vitalii Mykolenko - a late substitute against Brentford last time out - has recovered from illness and could push Ben Godfrey in the left-back berth but the incumbent player's extra physicality looks likely to ensure he gets the nod and the same goes for central defence where Michael Keane has replaced Conor Coady, so unless there are any late injury issues we're not aware of, it's same again in terms of personnel.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Coleman, Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski; Gueye, Doucoure, Onana, Iwobi, McNeil; Gray.
Joe Thomas - This isn’t the game to make changes
Whether Michael Keane should keep his place with Yerry Mina and Conor Coady fighting to take it, or Vitalii Mykolenko should return for Ben Godfrey after training pictures from Finch Farm this week suggested the Ukraine international has fully recovered from illness, are valid discussion points.
But after two generally good performances and four important points now is the time for consistency. There are 16 days after Stamford Bridge for experimentation - and for work to continue on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recovery.
Demarai Gray has shown he is the most effective of Everton’s limited attacking options and should have another goal to his name after that poor VAR call against Brentford. Abdoulaye Doucoure has been a revelation in his new role pushing forward to support Gray and it is helping Everton progress up the pitch as a team.
The only question mark for me going into what will be a tough away game is whether Amadou Onana deserves a break. He’s not made the same impact in recent weeks, understandable for a young player who is going through a first Premier League season and has played a World Cup within it.
This could be a chance for James Garner, but given Onana’s physicality and the relationship he is building with Doucoure and Idrissa Gueye, I keep it the same for one more game.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford: Godfrey, Keane, Tarkowski, Coleman; McNeil, Onana, Gueye, Doucoure, Iwobi; Gray.
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