Six-pointer is a term often used too freely in football, but Everton’s Premier League fixture against West Ham United on Saturday should be billed as such.
For the hosts, a poor performance could spell the end of Julen Lopetegui’s fledgling tenure, if reports are to be believed, with the Spaniard failing to inspire belief or fluency across the opening months of the campaign.
Everton, conversely, have lost just one of their past six matches, but after starting the term with four top-flight defeats on the trot, there’s just cause for concerns around Sean Dyche’s position, especially with The Friedkin Group moving to acquire Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake in the club, signalling the start of a new era.
The London Stadium has become a hotbed of trepidation and discontent, and this might be the perfect opportunity for The Toffees to latch onto the malaise and leapfrog the 14th-placed Londoners.
Everton team news
Jarrad Branthwaite has been introduced late on in both of Everton’s recent Premier League fixtures. Having recovered from injury, the touted centre-back could be in line for a mood-raising starting berth.
Having missed last week’s loss against Southampton, key midfield star Abdoulaye Doucoure is set to return, which comes as a big boost.
James Garner (back), Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti (both foot) are still out of action, while Dyche has confirmed that Armando Broja, who was signed this summer but has not yet made his Everton debut, is expected to join team training during the imminent international break.
Even without Broja’s availability, Dyche must be thinking about dropping Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has flattered to deceive of late.
Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin should be dropped
Praise for Calvert-Lewin; he’s started ten successive Premier League matches to start the campaign. The last time such a feat was achieved was in 2020/21 before injuries claimed his fluency.
He had scored ten from ten at that stage, with his performances leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to state that “Carlo Ancelotti created a monster”.
2024/25
10 (10)
2
1
2023/24
32 (26)
7
2
2022/23
17 (15)
2
1
2021/22
17 (15)
5
2
2020/21
33 (32)
16
1
2019/20
36 (30)
13
1
2018/19
35 (19)
6
2
2017/18
32 (18)
4
5
2016/17
11 (5)
1
0
Last year was spent getting back on track, but Calvert-Lewin has been poor in recent games and must now be dropped. When comparing the striker’s metrics against his own from last year, it can be seen that Calvert-Lewin has missed a shocking 23 big chances in the Premier League since the start of last season, despite only scoring nine goals in the same timeframe.
Moreover, the 6 foot 3 sensation has been caught offside 16 times in the Premier League this year, five times more than any other player.
His fitness levels have been brilliant this season, unfaltering in his persistence to start and serve as a focal point, but the number nine has not posted a goal contribution since Everton escaped their dismal start to the campaign, and perhaps now should be dropped.
Broja may not be ready, but Everton have the perfect alternative to step into the starting line-up. Beto, indeed, deserves a shot.
Beto could send Lopetegui packing
Beto has lifted his form and then some in recent weeks, scoring the last-gasp equaliser against Fulham two weeks back before rattling the crossbar and scoring a marginally offside goal either side of Adam Armstrong’s winner at St. Mary’s one week ago.
The Portugal-born forward has left plenty to be desired since signing from Udinese in a deal worth £25m, for sure, but he’s showing tentative signs of finding his feet and should now be handed his first Premier League starting berth of the season.
Despite having played infrequently for Everton this term the Guinea-Bissau international has won 1.2 aerial battles per game, as per Sofascore, which also stands at a 64% success rate.
Southampton scored a big win over Everton last time out. It reminded the Blues faithful that this will be a season of fighting, ups and downs both, and that Dyche will need to call upon the many members of his squad to ensure success in preserving top-flight status.
He’d be the first to admit that he hasn’t been up to scratch in Merseyside, scoring just four times in the Premier League across 36 appearances, but there’s no question about the muscular physique and commanding style that makes him the perfect fit for an important role under Dyche’s wing.
Once hailed for his “Lukaku-esque” qualities by the earlier-mentioned Kulig, he does show properties that emulate a one-time iteration of striker Romelu Lukaku, blessed with pace that could be utilised against the West Ham backline.
Calvert-Lewin might be caught offside with frustrating regularity, but Beto has the wheels to open up a new dimension for Dyche’s outfit, something that the likes of Dwight McNeil could feast upon in east London, threading passes through and stretching lines, concurrently allowing Iliman Ndiaye to overlap down the left.
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Beto is starting to find his feet. He might not have got his name on the score sheet last time but he harnessed that confident energy that had been created through a well-worked goal against Fulham.
Dyche might prefer Calvert-Lewin as his starting option, but he’s not doing enough right now and Beto should be unleashed from the outset to ensure that Everton secure three points and perhaps leave the London Stadium having sentenced Lopetegui to the swing of the axe.
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