Joe Thomas - Straightforward choice for Dyche
This is perhaps the easiest lineup to choose this season. How do you improve on Everton’s best performance? I don’t think there is anything you can do, given Manchester City represent as tough a challenge as they come.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored twice, so did Dwight McNeil. Alex Iwobi and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were also excellent and while Nathan Patterson had some difficult moments both he and Yerry Mina did well on their first starts under Sean Dyche.
Demarai Gray and Amadou Onana are the two most likely to challenge for a start but neither could argue with remaining on the bench. I would stay unchanged and while that means sticking with Dyche’s line-up I’m going to argue that, having like so many others been calling for Mina and Patterson for weeks, it means Dyche is following me and not the other way round.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Mina, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Garner, Doucoure, Gueye, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin
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Chris Beesley - Onana will need to wait
Last summer, Everton snapped up a couple of 21-year-old midfielders but while Amadou Onana, the biggest signing of the summer, grabbed most of the attention after his £33.5million transfer from Lille, James Garner's acquisition in many ways flew under the radar.
With his towering frame and extrovert nature, Onana's presence is always felt with in the stadium and having drawn admiring glances from some of the Premier League's during the January window, Goodison Park chiefs might have to brace themselves for big money bids coming in before next season kicks off - regardless of what division the Blues are in. For all the Belgium international's precocious talent though, there's a feeling that he should be doing more to boss proceedings in the centre of the park though and having lost his place to Garner through illness, he is yet to win it back.
A fruitful cameo off the bench at the Amex Stadium saw Onana provide the assist to pick out Dwight McNeil for Everton's fifth goal in stoppage time but it still might not be enough to earn him a recall. In contrast to Onana, 'Quiet Man' Garner has been going about his business efficiently but without fanfare and given the different dimension his passing range brings the side, the former Manchester United player deserves to retain his shirt against old foes City.
Sean Dyche certainly hasn't been a manager to chop and change willy-nilly so you wouldn't expect too much unnecessary tinkering here. Also, you don't change a winning team either, especially one that's recorded just the second away success of the season, 5-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Patterson, Mina, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin
Connor O’Neill - More of the same
Without sounding incredibly boring, it really must be a case of more of the same this afternoon.
Sean Dyche, barring any late injuries, is in no position to drop anyone after Monday’s superb display against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex.
That means both Yerry Mina and James Garner keep their places, as does Nathan Patterson at right-back.
However, this also means that Dyche has some options from the bench. Amadou Onana and Demarai Gray are both good options to call upon if needed.
My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Mina, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil, Doucoure, Iwobi; Calvert-Lewin
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