Everton: 3 Key player battles for Everton vs Southampton

Southampton's Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuttl (R) shakes hands with Everton's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti after the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Everton at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England, on October 25, 2020. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Everton (Photo by NAOMI BAKER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Lucas Digne signed a new contract with Everton.

Lucas Digne vs Jan Bednarek

This one was difficult as Southampton don’t seem to have a backup right-back for Walker-Pieters, and it seems like Hasenhüttl’s choice at that position will be Polish centre-back, Jan Bednarek, because he played at right-back on Tuesday, but Southampton were dominated by Leeds, which could lead to Hasenhüttl experimenting with somebody else at right-back.

Lucas Digne is arguably the best left-back in the Premier League and loves to get forward, so you can expect a lot of interaction between him and Bednarek in this game. The Frenchman has six assists in 16 appearances for the Toffees; his six assists is tied with West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell, who has played 26 games, for the most assists by a defender in the Premier League.

With the inevitable return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, it means Digne will be bombing forward and playing those picture-perfect crosses into the box, and this could see him punish Bednarek with his technical ability.

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