Everton at Chelsea: Predicted Line-Up | Why change a winning team?

Everton are out of the relegation zone, but they’re certainly not out of trouble.

Normally a trip to Stamford Bridge would be all-but a write-off. However, Chelsea are mere mid-table fodder at the moment, so there’s a hope. A small hope, especially since Graham Potter’s boys seem to have worked things out in recent weeks.

So how will the (real) Blues line-up?

Who’s Out?

Not much news here. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be out of this one after “feeling” something in his hamstring this week. Dyche has toyed with a return for DCL in recent weeks, but that won’t be happening here with an international break upon us.

Nathan Patterson is also about ready to return, although that will almost certainly mean a place on the bench, alongside James Garner who was in the squad last weekend.

The long-standing absentee is Andros Townsend, with no clear return date in sight and his Everton contract ticking down.

EVERTON SQUAD AVAILABLE VS CHELSEA

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Begovic, Lonergan,

Defenders: Keane, Mina, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Holgate, Coady, Mykolenko, Coleman, Patterson (DOUBT), Vinagre, Welch

Midfielders: Doucoure, Iwobi, Davies, Onana, Gueye, Garner, Price

Wingers: Gray, Townsend (INJURED), McNeil, Mills

Attackers: Calvert-Lewin (INJURED), Maupay, Simms

Tactics and Formation

I’d be very surprised if Sean Dyche was to deviate from the setup that beat Brentford last week.

The only possible change might be Mykolenko coming in for Godfrey at left-back, but I doubt we’ll see it.

Gray leading the line in Dyche’s customary 4-1-4-1.

On the bench, Patterson should take the place of one of four centre-backs- most likely big Yerry, who’s out of contract in the summer and seems way down the pecking order.

Starters (likelihood of starting rated out of 10)

Jordan Pickford – 10/10

Seamus Coleman – 8/10

Ben Godfrey - 7/10

James Tarkowski – 9/10

Michael Keane – 9/10

Amadou Onana – 9/10

Abdoulaye Doucoure – 9/10

Idrissa Gana Gueye – 9/10

Dwight McNeil – 9/10

Alex Iwobi – 8/10

Demarai Gray – 8/10

Bench

Asmir Begovic

Mason Holgate

Conor Coady

Vitaliy Mykolenko

Nathan Patterson

James Garner

Tom Davies

Ellis Simms

Neal Maupay