West Ham at Everton: Projected XI

Everton head down to London for what is arguably their biggest game of the season so far. West Ham United sit two points below the Blues in the table, and a Hammers win would likely drop the Toffees into the relegation zone. Again.

It’s dire, and it doesn’t look like David Unsworth can fix it. Let’s line ‘em up.

Tactics and Formation

David Unsworth, for some reason, saw fit to go to a 4-4-2 with Kevin Mirallas and Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top on Sunday. He’s continued his trend of playing the right players but in asinine ways, and we don’t really know what he’ll do next tactically.

Our best guess is that he goes back to the 4-4-2, unfortunately.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford - 10/10

Jonjoe Kenny - 10/10

With Mason Holgate still out and Leighton Baines likely missing as well, Kenny will have to play.

Ashley Williams - 9/10

Injuries force the Welsh center-back into the lineup as well. With Holgate and Michael Keane out, it’ll have to be either Williams or Morgan Feeney in this spot.

Phil Jagielka - 10/10

Cuco Martina - 10/10

Cuco draws in due to injury as well.

Idrissa Gueye - 9/10

We think Morgan Schneiderlin will get a rest in this one, and pulling both the Frenchman and Gana seems ill-advised.

Tom Davies - 8/10

Tom got an enforced rest on Sunday through suspension, and Unsworth definitely favors the young English midfielder. We think he’ll get the start here.

Gylfi Sigurdsson - 8/10

The Icelander showed what he’s capable of when played in the proper position on Sunday. Of course, he was playing as a left-sided midfielder when he scored that goal, but he popped up into his preferred position and worked a moment of magic.

So naturally, Unsworth will shuttle him back out to left midfield.1

Aaron Lennon - 9/10

Lennon is easily Everton’s best equipped winger to be inexplicably forced to play basically on top of his full-back, and given that Unsworth wants to keep playing that way, there’s no reason Lennon shouldn’t start.

Sandro Ramirez - 8/10

If there’s been any positive to the last few weeks, it’s that Sandro looks as though he’s remembered how to play football. His usage by both Ronald Koeman and David Unsworth has been suspect, but he is at least now not sending every first touch into the 10th row and completing some simple passes.

We think Unsworth will go back to the 4-4-2, for whatever reason, so this is a good opportunity to give Sandro more time.

Wayne Rooney - 9/10

Unsworth (thankfully) hasn’t been forcing the aging English striker into the lineup in recent weeks, but with Niasse out and DCL going the distance on Sunday, it probably makes sense to give him a go here.

Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Bench

• Joel Robles
• Mason Holgate
• Muhamed Besic
• Morgan Schneiderlin
• Gylfi Sigurdsson
• Ademola Lookman
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin

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In all honesty, this lineup probably won’t work. No lineup will work. Everton need a manager, or they’re going down. With a squad full of passengers, they might be going down anyway. Hurry up, Farhad.