Match Preview
Dwight McNeil has resumed full training but might not be risked from the start
With the transfer window now closed, Everton make their second trip away from Goodison Park of the new season when they to Sheffield United for the lunchtime Saturday kick-off.
The Blues come into the game again sitting on the bottom of the Premier League with no points and no goals but some heart will have been taken from new attacking signings Beto and Arnaut Danjuma opening their accounts against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Everton recovered from a horrendous first-half display against the side sitting in last place among the EFL's 72 clubs to overturn a 1-0 deficit thanks to Danjuma's late winner and Sean Dyche will be hoping to use it as a small platform on which to build some momentum in the League.
While it looks as though his squad will be weaker coming out of the window as Alex Iwobi and Neal Maupay finalise moves to West London, Dyche has at least been boosted by the news that Dwight McNeil has resumed full training after recovering from an ankle injury.
The wide man suffered minor ligament damage in the bruising pre-season friendly at Stoke last month and has missed the first four matches of the season but in his press conference at Finch Farm today, Sean Dyche revealed that McNeil has rejoined the rest of the team.
"Dwight's just back on the grass with our training group," the manager said. "He's been on the grass a few days but he's back with our training group today so he's another one we'll have to make a decision on but he's feeling pretty strong."
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, is in with a chance of facing his former club despite fracturing his cheekbone almost a fortnight ago at Aston Villa.
The striker was sidelined for the visit of Wolves last weekend as the swelling on his face subsided and he sought an assessment from a London specialist and the good news is that the injury won't require any surgery.
"There was a minor situation on his sinus area," Dyche explained, "and it's delicate, so he's got to be careful. The good news he's managed to train through it to keep fit.
"Regarding this weekend, it's more of a touch-and-go situation. Maybe [he'll have to wear a mask]."
The other big positive for Dyche and Everton, though, is that Beto made a positive impact following his arrival in a £26m deal on Tuesday and his anticpated full debut on Saturday would reduce the pressure on Calvert-Lewin to rush back and risk contact to his face, even with the protection afforded by a mask.
Vitalii Mykolenko came off with a knock against Doncaster and is a doubt, meaning that Ashley Young is likely to keep his place at left back while Jarrad Branthwaite is expected to return to the side along with James Tarkowski after sitting out the cup game.
With a nominal striker in the line-up and assuming McNeil isn't risked from the start, Danjuma should shift to wide left with James Garner on the right and the usual trio in the centre of Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucouré.
Sheffield United's start to their first season back in the top flight in three years has only been marginally better than Everton's. They were narrowly beaten by Crystal Palace at home on the opening day and lost by a single goal at Nottingham Forest a week later before being edged at Bramall Lane by Champions Manchester City last time out.
Added to that, they went out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening with a defeat to League One Lincoln City on penalties so morale in the Blades' camp won't be especially high coming into this.
It's unlikely to be a classic, with two struggling teams slugging it out for their first points of the season but Dyche will no doubt be hoping that with a genuine striker leading the line, his team will have enough.
Kick-off: 12:30pm, Saturday 2 September, 2023
Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: Simon Hooper
Last Time: Sheffield United 0 - 1 Everton, 26 December 2020
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young, Gueye, Onana, Garner, Danjuma, Doucouré, Beto
Reader Comments (33)
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2 Posted 31/08/2023 at 18:20:22
3 Posted 31/08/2023 at 18:21:22
The forward line McNeil, Beto, Harrison is going to cause problems for a lot of defences.
As will Danjuma, Calvert-Lewin, Gnonto or Sulemana …. Some serious strength in depth and options at last.
4 Posted 31/08/2023 at 18:27:34
5 Posted 31/08/2023 at 18:43:43
6 Posted 31/08/2023 at 18:59:23
Now that would be a real booster for everyone at our beloved club.
7 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:11:08
It's the other end that worries me. I think I'd be tempted to loan out Patterson and maybe stick Garner at right-back.
8 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:12:16
9 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:20:19
I've said elsewhere that in our club, players' reputations tend to be enhanced the longer they sit out* but in McNeil's case, he was our best player in the last few months of last season.
* Obviously this does not apply to Gomes, Keane, Gbamin and Maupay.
10 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:42:40
Let's kick off with a win over Sheffield Utd.
11 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:43:18
12 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:51:54
Him on one wing, Danjuma on the other, with Beto in the middle. Keep Calvert-Lewin in reserve and keep Maupay in the reserves.
Garner and Young to fill the full-back slots with Onana Gana and Doucouré in midfield.
13 Posted 31/08/2023 at 19:59:44
In both cases, they were showing their best form before injuries although Calvert-Lewin was the season before last.
The late show against lowly Doncaster after a pathetic first half might just be a turning point.
The good finishing of Beto and Danjuma showed there are goals in the team and, if they can get the defensive side of things on a steady footing, then we can be a little more optimistic.
14 Posted 31/08/2023 at 20:14:00
I too feel that Patterson has to cut his teeth, a good loan and full-on Championship season will bring him on leaps and bounds. He's raw and still learning the discipline side of the game defensively, I think there is a good player there he just needs time and the right development strategy.
15 Posted 31/08/2023 at 21:22:55
If Calvert-Lewin and McNeil are in the squad on Saturday and on the bench, then I hope we don't need to call on them as we've got the game in the bag… what's support without hope lol.
I think Beto should start after his cameo, but it should be a lot tougher than yesterday for him. Having Calvert-Lewin on the bench ready to play might be needed, am sure he'd be up for it going back to his former club.
If McNeil can get a run-out and is ready, then great. If he's not ready, hopefully there's no desire or need to risk him.
16 Posted 31/08/2023 at 21:28:32
It will be interesting to see how the underperformers do now. It's hard to judge anyone when they have no outlet. Decent players can be made to look poor when they've got nothing to play to. I look at the top of the field now and they will have an option, a focal point.
Look at that ball from Doucouré against Doncaster. With just Maupay up front, we complain that he's simply given the ball away under no pressure. With a pacy presence in Beto, that's a great assist!
Whatever Beto turns out to be, it's pretty clear he'll be an option.
17 Posted 31/08/2023 at 23:02:44
I wouldn't even have DCL on the bench just to avoid temptation.
18 Posted 01/09/2023 at 01:16:34
Doubt we will be seeing DCL so fast, and No need when we have two New strikers. Beto looks like a starter.
Has anyone made a bid for Kenwright yet? Heard he was up for sale.
19 Posted 01/09/2023 at 03:34:34
20 Posted 01/09/2023 at 04:25:43
There is one big reason why McNeil has been missed imo, and this is because he works very, very hard. If Everton are to get out of this slump then every player needs to put in the same effort, plus he also gives us some very much needed balance.
A big 18 hrs are left in this transfer window now, so hopefully we can bring in a bit more quality, because when we lose certain players to injury, it really affects the squad.
21 Posted 01/09/2023 at 10:18:11
22 Posted 01/09/2023 at 19:53:14
Oops. Shouldn't have said that. Sorry.
23 Posted 01/09/2023 at 20:24:27
24 Posted 01/09/2023 at 20:52:54
25 Posted 01/09/2023 at 22:10:22
26 Posted 02/09/2023 at 02:34:15
27 Posted 02/09/2023 at 02:42:21
So just fucking win Everton.
1.0 Beto winner.
UTFT
28 Posted 02/09/2023 at 04:10:24
29 Posted 02/09/2023 at 04:29:15
30 Posted 02/09/2023 at 08:05:45
Now the window is over, it's Dyche's job to develop what he has. He can't just fill the bench with keepers and centre-backs and run the eleven on the pitch into the ground. He has to give himself options or he'll be leaving Goodison before November's out.
31 Posted 02/09/2023 at 08:36:07
33 Posted 02/09/2023 at 08:45:32
They could become only the second team to lose each of their opening four games of a Premier League campaign without scoring, after Crystal Palace in 2017-18.
Everton are winless in their last six Premier League away games against promoted sides (D3, L3), failing to score in four of those matches.
The Toffees have won only three of their last 37 top-flight away matches (D12, L22).
Everton have lost each of the last nine league games that Alex Iwobi hasn't played in.
Time to change all that COYB
34 Posted 02/09/2023 at 08:46:53
COYB
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1 Posted 31/08/2023 at 17:47:04