Everton host fierce rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park in the first Merseyside derby of the season, searching for their first win of the campaign. Frank Lampard’s side have drawn each of their last three games, but now face a title chasing Liverpool side fresh off the back of two wins and the boss must find a way to stop their momentum and build some of his own.
Jordan Pickford has had a fine season between the sticks so far and has maintained his number one position, so he will keep his starting spot for this game without a doubt. Lampard opened the season up with a back five, however with injuries affecting the squad he is likely to stick his 4-3-3 formation from the draw with Leeds from the last game. That should see Nathan Patterson continue as the right back following his impressive performances this season, meaning captain Seamus Coleman finds himself on the bench still while Vitalii Mykolenko will start at left-back ahead of summer signing Ruben Vinagre.
The club don’t have many options at centre-back because of injuries, so James Tarkowski and Conor Coady should be able to continue their partnership and use their experience to try and keep out the fearsome Liverpool attack. The midfield is where the club managed to strengthen the most during the transfer window, and Lampard is likely to had Senegalese midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye a second debut after he secured a move from PSG back to Goodison on deadline day.
Everton predicted XI v Liverpool: Pickford; Patterson, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Onana, Iwobi; Gordon, Maupay, Gray.