With tonight’s big game at Goodison Park edging ever closer, it’s time to predict which 11 Eddie Howe will select to face Everton.
Here’s the XI we’re expecting him to go with and why:
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Willock – Murphy, Isak, Joelinton.
If fit, it goes without saying that Fabian Schar will start alongside Sven Botman. However, he limped off on Sunday with a hamstring problem and is facing a late fitness test.
I can’t see Howe taking a risk on him – especially when it could rule him out for the remainder of the season if he played when he wasn’t ready and made it worse.
On top of that, this may be a fixture that suits Jamaal Lascelles. If Dyche sticks by Calvert-Lewin and throws balls into the box, our rarely-seen skipper will be well equipped to deal with the threat.
Other than that, I can’t see Howe making any other changes to the side that battered Spurs 6-1. This is the tougher test of our next two games, so I expect more rotation to come when Southampton come to SJP on Sunday.
