Everton visit Newcastle United on Sunday looking to bounce back from a first defeat of the season, and Carlo Ancelotti will be forced into making wholesale changes to his starting line-up.
The Toffees saw their unbeaten start to the campaign reach its end after eight games across all competitions with a 2-0 loss at Southampton, where goals from James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams dealt the damage.
Ancelotti’s tactics were ineffective to overturn the Saints’ strikes as the Goodison Park natives enjoyed just 45.7% of the possession at St. Mary’s and managed to direct just two of six shots on target, per WhoScored, while their hosts fashioned 13 efforts on Jordan Pickford’s net.
Everton will be eager to avoid another slack display when they travel to St. James’ Park on Sunday, but Ancelotti will be without several of his key players against Newcastle.
So, with that in mind, here’s a predicted line-up the Italian coach could favour against the Toon…
Two of the major selection dilemmas facing Ancelotti this weekend come at full-back, with Lucas Digne suspended for Everton’s trip to Newcastle after being shown a straight red card at Southampton for a foul on Kyle Walker-Peters.
Seamus Coleman is also out of the Toffees’ trip to Tyneside, with Ancelotti confirming the Blues captain is yet to overcome the hamstring injury that prevented his inclusion at St. Mary’s.
In the Republic of Ireland international’s place is likely to step Jonjoe Kenny now that the Blues product is back from an ankle injury, after twisting his ankle in the Carabao Cup win over West Ham United in September.
Ancelotti’s decision over who starts at left-back is likely to see the Italian favour summer arrival Niels Nkounkou, who earned the supporters’ Man of the Match award after providing the assist for Moise Kean’s goal at Fleetwood Town in the EFL Cup.
Everton’s central defence and goalkeeper options in Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford are unlikely to alter, with the trio along with midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure and seven-goal striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin the only men expected to maintain their 100% Premier League records for the season.
Doucoure could find himself lining up in midfield alongside a new partner at Newcastle, with Andre Gomes a candidate to return after being benched at Southampton.
Gylfi Sigurdsson replaced Gomes on the south coast but saw his afternoon come to an end when hauled off in the 58th-minute, having only provided one shot, 17 accurate passes, no key balls, one successful dribble, no tackles and was dribbled past twice, per WhoScored.
Ancelotti must consider changes on both wings, as well, after Alex Iwobi also endured a torrid afternoon at Southampton before being replaced at half-time, with his only shot blocked, provided no key balls, failed with 50% of his dribbles and was dispossessed twice, per WhoScored.
It was a display far beyond what Marco Silva felt the £50,000-per-week winger was capable of when signed from Arsenal for £34m, having told reporters via The Guardian: “Alex was one of our main targets for this window and I believe he is a fantastic signing for Everton. He is a direct and skilful winger and attacking midfielder who always works very hard for his team.
“Alex fits exactly the profile of player I want in my model. He is hungry to join Everton and take the next step in his career, to help us compete with the strongest teams in the league and reach his potential at our club.”
With Richarlison still suspended following his red card against Liverpool, Ancelotti will need to consider handing Bernard a first league start of the season having turned to the Brazilian to replace Iwobi against the Saints, after which he provided two key balls, completed 86% of his 29 passes and beat his marker with each of his two dribbles, per WhoScored.
The changes will not stop on the left, though, as Ancelotti will also be facing Newcastle without James Rodriguez after confirming the Colombian has a “little problem” which reports by the Daily Mail suggest is a damaged testicle that prevented him from training.
Rodriguez has started all six of Everton’s Premier League fixtures to date but struggled to build on his three goals and three assists at Southampton, and should be replaced by academy graduate Anthony Gordon against the Magpies.
Gordon has featured in Everton’s EFL Cup wins over Salford City and Fleetwood Town this term plus the final half an hour at St. Mary’s, where the 19-year-old offered a bright spark with a 90% pass success rate, attempted three dribbles and made one successful tackle, per WhoScored.
Ancelotti will be loath to making five changes against Newcastle, but will know that each will be a necessary decision to avoid losing back-to-back Premier League fixtures for the first time since taking charge at Goodison Park.
AND in other news, Marcel Brands can repeat his summer masterclass by landing an Everton-linked £76k-p/w powerhouse.