For their last match of the season, Everton will get to enjoy a trip to the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium for the first time. Spurs, of course, miraculously qualified for the Champions League final, and are also dealing with a handful of injuries. For more on that, be sure to listen to the latest episode of School of Science Radio, where Sean Cahill from Cartilage Free Captain joined us.
For more on how a depleted Everton side might line up tomorrow, read on.
Formation
Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)
Jordan Pickford - 10/10
Lucas Digne - 10/10
Kurt Zouma - 10/10
Will this be the Frenchman’s last match in an Everton shirt? Silva will certainly hope not, as Zouma has been a key cog in the Toffees’ second-half resurgence. But with Chelsea’s transfer ban looking like it will be upheld, Everton supporters should get used to the idea that this will be it for Zouma at Everton.
Michael Keane - 10/10
Jonjoe Kenny - 8/10
Injury to Seamus Coleman looks to be forcing Kenny into the lineup — and perhaps this match will mean more to Jonjoe than any other Everton player. We’ve discussed throughout various RBM posts/podcasts/smoke signals/carrier pigeon messages that Kenny’s place as back-up right-back might be one of weakness in the squad that needs addressing over the offseason.
The timing of Coleman’s injury is fortunate for Kenny then, as he’ll have one last chance to prove he can be relied upon in that role.
Andre Gomes - 10/10
If Andre Gomes told Marco Silva he wanted to play goalkeeper with oven mitts for gloves, Silva would probably happily oblige at this point. Rumors of a move to Spurs are circling, and Silva has made it no secret that he’d like to have the Portugese midfielder back next season.
So, if Andre wants to play, Silva will certainly look to appease him here.
Idrissa Gueye - 10/10
Gylfi Sigurdsson - 10/10
Theo Walcott - 8/10
With Richarlison injured, and having been playing the right side in recent weeks, Walcott is the natural replacement. He profiles as the same type of player — goalscoring winger with minimal creative input. Like Kenny, he’s been underwhelming at times this season, and might need to have a good match here to convince management that he should still have a place next season.
Bernard - 8/10
Cenk Tosun - 9/10
What a strange 18 months it’s been for Cenk Tosun. brought to Everton during the Sam Allardyce regime — a man who didn’t exactly indicate he even wanted the Turkish striker at the club at all. When Allardyce was predictably sacked, Marco Silva made him his regular first-choice striker after a decent run at the end of last season, but the second half of this season has seen him pretty clearly lose the starting role to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Tosun has the pedigree and the quality to be starting elsewhere, and it’s become a little difficult to see what a road back to Everton next season might even look like. With DCL banged up though, he’ll get one last chance to make his mark on Everton Football Club.
Bench
Maarten Stekelenburg
Leighton Baines
Yerry Mina
Morgan Schneiderlin
James McCarthy
Ademola Lookman
Tom Davies
It’s been real, lads. And sometimes even a little fun. Arriverdici, 2018-19 season.