Everton vs Man City: FA Cup Predicted Line-Up | Coleman hybrid role?

270 minutes or 26 years.

They’re the two options. The Blues are three matches away from a trophy or the glory-less streak will hit 26 years.

That’s why this FA Cup Quarter Final at Goodison is so important.

Unfortunately, our opponents are arguably the best team on the planet at the moment.

Who’s Out?

Everton have had three senior keepers in the ranks for several years while Pickford has been an ever present. The Blues let Lössl go in January and suddenly our two senior goalkeepers start picking up injuries.

Pickford and Robin Olsen are both out, which means 21-year Joao Virginia will make his sixth career start, his first in Everton colours.

Elsewhere, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, James Rodriguez, and Abdoulaye Doucoure will all miss this game through injury.

Joshua King is also unavailable as he is cup-tied.

Tactics and Formation

The Blues were pretty solid for the first hour in the league fixture against Man City, utilising sitting full-backs in a 4-4-1-1. However, the Blues really struggled to create many chances at all and didn’t have DCL available at the time.

A few days later, Carlo employed a hybrid 4-5-1/5-3-2 in the 2-0 win at Liverpool and I think Carlo may revert back to this setup, which could see Seamus Coleman return to the side in a right-midfield role in possession and right-back defensively.

We’re not going to see much of the ball, but we need to be effective with it when we do get it.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Joao Virginia – 9/10

Mason Holgate – 7/10

Lucas Digne – 9/10

Michael Keane – 9/10

Ben Godfrey – 7/10

Allan – 9/10

Tom Davies – 9/10

Gylfi Sigurdsson – 8/10

Seamus Coleman – 6/10

Could return to the side to help aid Mason Holgate down the right.

Richarlison – 10/10

Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 10/10

Bench

Harry Tyrer

Kyle John

Yerry Mina

Niels Nkounkou

Andre Gomes

Tyler Onyango

Bernard

Alex Iwobi

Nathan Broadhead

Ancelotti will have had a week in training with the players, do not underestimate his ability to come up with something new and creative, and have drilled the players into it.