Everton have made a frustrating start to their Premier League campaign after being held to three draws in their first four league games. The Toffees will now play hosts to West Ham United at Goodison Park on Sunday, following a string of injuries and suspensions to some of their first-team stars. Richarlison is unavailable for tomorrow’s clash while Theo Walcott is a significant doubt for the game. The likes of Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka and Michael Keane are all sidelined due to injuries, which have given Marco Silva a lot of headaches.
However, the fact that the Merseyside club are facing off against the Premier League’s bottom-placed team in front of their loyal home supporters should give them enough encouragement to go out and come away with a positive result from this weekend’s contest. Here are three changes Silva could look to make to ensure a successful day out against the Hammers:
Play Gylfi Sigurdsson In A More Central Role Despite His Poor Form
The Everton boss needs to stick with Sigurdsson in the number 10 role, especially in the absence of Walcott and Richarlison. The Icelandic international has struggled to score goals on a regular basis but has still managed to create a lot of chances for the Toffees in recent weeks.
Last season, the midfielder was often used in the wide areas which did not suit his playing style. It was one of the main reasons for his failure to perform at his peak level. However, his performances have improved since he was shifted into a more central position in midfield. So we can expect another strong showing from him against Manuel Pellegrini’s men as long as he gets to play in his strongest position.
Bring In Bernard If Walcott Misses Out
Theo Walcott will be in for a late fitness test before the game to see whether he can play any part against West Ham. However, if he misses out, Silva should hand Bernard a runout in his first-team. The Brazilian is an excellent dribbler and has a knack for scoring and creating goals so he could be a real difference maker for Everton on Sunday.
Opt For One Holding Midfielder Instead Of Two
Silva has favoured the midfield duo of Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin to operate as the holding midfielders in his starting XI. However, with Gueye a major doubt for this contest, this could be an ideal opportunity for the Everton boss to take a more adventurous approach and opt for Tom Davies to play in a more advanced, attacking role in the middle of the park.
