Everton face a step into the unknown this weekend, welcoming table topping Arsenal to Goodison Park in the first game of Sean Dyche’s reign. Currently in the relegation zone, the Toffees have scored the second-fewest goals this season, and this is likely to remain the case under the new man, but he will instill greater defensive discipline than Lampard managed, if his time at Burnley is anything to go by.
A “free-hit” in the sense that nothing is expected from the Toffees this weekend, supporters will be keen to get a glimpse of how Dyche will set his Everton side up and how they respond to a new style of management.
Here’s how we expect them to line up.
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Everton remain without a host of options as they look to battle relegation, with Andros Townsend, Ben Godfrey, Nathan Patterson and Michael Keane all ruled out, while James Garner will face a race against time to be fit.
We expect Sean Dyche to return to a back four, specifically the 4-4-2 that worked so well for him at Turf Moor, with Neal Maupay partnering Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a bid to recreate a Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes type partnership.
James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil are both well-versed to Dyche’s tactics, and the Englishman in likely to lean on the pair as he gets to grips with his new squad, while Anthony Gordon’s departure means that Alex Iwobi could be fielded on the right hand-side, though Demarai Gray may have something to say about that.
