Southampton at Everton: Projected XI

Everton are set to face Southampton in the last home match of the season, which means this could be the last time the Goodison faithful see some of these players - you never know. Hopefully, it’s at least the last time the Goodison faithful see Sam Allardyce.

How might the Blues line up, you ask? Let’s find out.

Tactics and Formation

Big Sam has been pretty predictable over the last month, and we don’t see any reason for that to change. The only surprise in last week’s lineup was the inclusion of Nikola Vlasic at wing in place of Yannick Bolasie, but the Croatian failed to make a substantial impact.

So, we think it’ll be Yala back into the starting XI, with no other changes.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford - 10/10

Seamus Coleman - 10/10

Phil Jagielka - 10/10

Michael Keane - 10/10

Leighton Baines - 10/10

Not much to say about the backline that we haven’t said in past weeks. This group has been very good together, and it’s given Everton supporters something to feel good about for a change.

Morgan Schneiderlin - 9/10

Schneiderlin was excellent again against Huddersfield Town last week, and he’s surely played himself into the discussion of being an everyday player again next season. We’d be shocked if he doesn’t play in the Toffees’ last two matches.

Idrissa Gueye - 10/10

Wayne Rooney - 7/10

The Rooney midfield experiment worked for a time, but he’s been an absolute passenger in the club’s recent matches. Big Sam could and should give Davy Klaassen or Nikola Vlasic a chance in this role after yet another anonymous performance last week -- but we don’t suspect he will.

Yannick Bolasie - 7/10

Bolasie’s form has been middling enough that Allardyce saw fit to bench him in favor of Vlasic last week. He didn’t fare much better, so we think it’ll be back to the Congolese winger this weekend -- though it sure would be great if we could play Ademola Lookman in this position, eh?

Theo Walcott - 10/10

Cenk Tosun - 10/10

There’s little to say about Walcott and Tosun. They’re obviously the team’s best two attacking players, at least with Gylfi Sigurdsson out, and they should form the team’s offense for years to come.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Bench

• Joel Robles
• Cuco Martina
• Ramiro Funes Mori
• Beni Baningime
• Tom Davies
• Nikola Vlasic
• Oumar Niasse

Southampton are bad, but they’re desperate. As of this writing, the Saints are a point back of safety. It would be encouraging if Everton could come out tomorrow and impose their will on a club they should beat. It’s just Liverpool’s academy team, after all.