Luke Davies - Everton have to win this game
Last weekend’s game against Manchester United was definitely one to forget.
But in reality, did we ever expect to get anything at Old Trafford? Jordan Pickford saved the Blues from a drubbing with some world-class saves, which otherwise would have resulted in a cricket score.
Moving on, this weekend Everton face Fulham, with Marco Silva returning to Goodison Park. Yes, Fulham have massively overperformed this season, with Silva’s side currently sitting in tenth.
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However, lately Fulham have begun to fall off; without a win in the last five games, it makes you wonder if they are already ‘on the beach'. Everton must take advantage of this, The Blues need to win this game; there is no other way to look at it. Games are running out, and the table is quickly changing week to week.
In terms of line-up, I’d possibly go with the same eleven that started against United, not because of their track record, but more because of the sheer lack of options. The idea of Demarai Gray playing off Ellis Simms is a lot more exciting than Gray leading the line himself. Yes, Simms is by no means the finished product, but he does offer physicality and is a ‘proper’ striker up top.
To put it bluntly, Everton have to win this game because if Sean Dyche’s side are to preserve their place in the Premier League, then picking up wins at home is a must.
Paul McParlan - Time to deliver!
The less said about Everton’s limp performance at Old Trafford, the better.
This was their first defeat in five games if you want to be positive, or their fourth without a win if you want to be realistic. This was a bad weekend for the club, with relegation rivals Bournemouth, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers securing three vital points to put clear daylight between them and us.
The Blues urgently need to regain momentum by securing some victories, and Fulham, a club in complete freefall at present, provide the perfect opportunity to do so. Nothing less than a win will suffice here, and this will help Everton pull away from the drop zone.
Sean Dyche has some big calls to make in his team selection. Does he reinstate Vitalii Mykolenko at left back? Should he make changes in midfield, where Amadou Onana appears to be struggling without Abdoulaye Doucoure alongside him?
One can only trust that Sean Dyche has been working on improving passing and keeping possession at Finch Farm because consistently giving the ball away is still a massive concern with this team. However, the bigger question is: who can deliver the goals we need?
Will Ellis Simms be given another chance, or does Demarai Gray play as the striker? If the rumours are true that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been training all week, might we see him on the bench?
Could there be a bold alternative, perhaps deploying Simms and Neal Maupay as twin strikers? Desperate times sometimes require desperate measures. For this match, the manager may need to adopt a more expansive approach and look to score more than one goal at home for the first time since he arrived.
Goal difference could still be a decisive factor in deciding who stays up. Is anybody else looking at how Tom Cannon has ignited Preston North End’s play-off push and wondering if he could have created a similar impact here?
Saturday starts a crucial run of four games with visits to Crystal Palace and Leicester City and a home fixture against Newcastle United. Seven points here could see Everton all but safe. At some stage, this team will have to turn away draws into wins if they want to stay up. A record of one victory on their travels this season is woeful and needs to end.
Sixty years ago, during the 1962/63 campaign, Everton lifted their first post-war title by crushing Fulham 4-1 at Goodison Park.
A similar outcome this weekend would be welcome. If other results go our way, then the league table could look far healthier by Monday night. It is an opportunity that must be grabbed.
The consequences of defeat here are unthinkable. Nobody wants another final-day relegation drama at Goodison Park.
READ NEXT:
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