Everton will be sweating on Richarlison, their match-winner against Chelsea, being fit to spearhead the attack again in next Sunday’s trip to Leicester City. The Brazilian pounced on Cesar Azpilicueta’s ponderous possession to nick the ball off the visiting captain, play a quick one-two with Demarai Gray and fire past Edouard Mendy for the only goal of the game.
Given that it was the second consecutive home game Richarlison had netted in – he also struck a stoppage time equaliser against Leicester City – Blues boss Frank Lampard must hope that this season’s top scorer is available for the visit to the King Power Stadium after the 24-year-old went off 10 minutes from the end against Chelsea after receiving treatment on a leg injury.
While Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit again after his latest injury setback, last season’s 21-goal top scorer hasn’t found the net in any of his 11 matches since returning from a quadriceps problem in January and Salomon Rondon has struck just once in 18 Premier League outings.
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Everton deployed a five-man defence in their victory over last year’s European champions so it remains to be seen whether Lampard switches to a flat back four in the East Midlands and whether that requires any changes of personnel.
After earning a last-minute Merseyside Derby start after Ben Godfrey was injured in the warm-up, Michael Keane was back on the bench at Goodison Park but unless Yerry Mina isn’t deemed durable enough to figure again – he’ll have had a week between matches – the former Burnley man might struggle to get back in with captain Seamus Coleman having been deployed on the right hand side of a defensive trio last time out.
Alex Iwobi, who has produced a string of hard-working performances in recent weeks might revert to a midfield role after operating as a wing-back against Chelsea. There is competition for places in the engine room with Allan being the odd man out on the back of his much-discussed lack of successful passes against Everton’s local rivals prompting Fabian Delph and Abdoulaye Doucoure to be paired against Chelsea although the Brazilian replaced the former who was on a booking in the second half.
Dele Alli – whose cross into the box helped set up Richarlison’s last-gasp equaliser in the recent reverse fixture with Leicester City – also came off the bench for the third successive match against Chelsea but unless there are injuries between now and next weekend it seems difficult to see how he might find his way into Lampard’s thinking for a place in the starting line-up for the first time.
