Everton starting eleven: Blues to play in a 4-3-3

Everton take on Norwich City at 3 pm this afternoon so here’s my selection for the team I would pick to face the Canaries.

After a terrible recent run in the Premier League Everton desperately need a morale-boosting win and three important points at bottom team Norwich. Surely nothing else will do.

Although Norwich hardly represent an outstanding attacking threat, I’d like to see a more solid and better balanced Blues team then we’ve seen in recent weeks so I’ve gone with a starting eleven in a 4-3-3 formation.

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford

This one is a no-brainer of course and despite a solid performance from Asmir Begovic at Hull City, Pickford is obviously the Toffees first-choice between the sticks.

In fact, in a marked change to the past, Pickford has been so strong and reliable this season that he’s barely been mentioned. The England keeper has been a really consistent and uncontroversial player, one dependable thing during another campaign of upheaval and controversy.

Centre-back: Michael Keane

Keane has been his usual inconsistent self, mixing decent performances with mistake-strewn efforts as he has all season long.

Although Yerry Mina is apparently fit again, I would be reluctant to rush him back, especially after what happened last time when he did return quickly against Arsenal and then had to go off again after less than half and hour. So, despite my misgivings I think Keane has to play this afternoon.

Centre-back: Ben Godfrey

I was very tempted to go for a suprise selection here and pick Jarrad Branthwaite. But, although I’m a big fan of the young defender, I think Godfrey has done enough recently to keep his place and he will hopefully be up for performing well against his old club.

Godfrey is still on a learning curve as a centre-back but his pace and strength give him the tools to become a good defender. And, while he has done well filling in at left-back, that position has been sorted out now, we hope, so I think the more he plays in the centre, the better he will become there too.

Right-back: Seamus Coleman

Again, I am tempted to go for another surprise and pick Nathan Patterson in this position. However, while we are excited about this young Scot’s potential, it’s probably a bit too early for him to start and so once more I think the more obvious and experienced decision is Coleman.

The club captain hasn’t been in great form recently but he’s very experienced and on his day is still a solid enough defender so he gets the nod, although maybe we might see Patterson later on in the game?

Left-back: Vitalii Mykolenko

For so long it’s been an obvious and easy decision to write Lucas Digne’s name here, but he’s gone and now the future is the young Ukrainian international.

Mykolenko has big shoes to fill and although Digne has been a shadow of the player Everton originally signed, he is still a top-drawer international player and has been a key member of this Blues squad ever since he joined.

Well, the new era starts officially today and after a solid enough debut at Hull, let’s hope the 22-year-old can quickly grow into the player this team needs him to become.

Midfield: Abdoulaye Doucoure

Another no-brainer and the Frenchman walks into this team whenever he is fit, although he was far from his best in Everton’s last Premier League match against Brighton.

The Toffees really need Doucoure back up to speed with his dynamic, athletic presence, box-to-box workrate and his additional attacking threat from the centre of the park.

Midfield: Andros Townsend

This might be a slightly unusual selection but Townsend has played in a midfield three before this season and he will certainly work hard while offering an attacking threat of course.

I had thought of going with Andre Gomes from the start but I think the Portuguese is better suited to coming on for twenty minutes or half an hour later in the game.

So, I would have Townsend playing as the tip of a midfield three to get forward as much as possible and support defensively when needed.

Midfield: Allan 

The Brazilian also had a very poor match against the Seagulls, but he did respond and was much better in the FA Cup tie at Hull.

He’s a good and very experienced player of course and there aren’t any alternatives if I want three in midfield with Tom Davies injured and Jean-Philippe Gbamin effectively frozen out by Benitez.

Forward: Anthony Gordon 

20-year-old Gordon is fast becoming an almost automatic selection these days for Everton as the young academy graduate continues to grow in confidence and influence on the pitch.

He had another good game at Hull and has begun to develop a really productive understanding with fellow wide player Demarai Gray, eptimomised by their excellent exchange which led to Gray’s goal in the FA Cup tie.

Forward: Demarai Gray 

The former Leicester City player is a shoe-in to start when he’s fit and has been the most consistently positive thing about this Blues team all season long.

Gray’s pace, movement and excellent finishing have made him a terrific addition, just what Everton needed, and arguably the Premier League’s bargain of the season.

Centre-forward: Dominic Calvert-Lewin 

Although Richarlison is very close to full fitness, I would have him on the bench today ready to come in if needed with his normal striking partner Calvert-Lewin coming back into the starting eleven.

Obviously, the England international is a key player for this team, the leading goal threat and critical to how Benitez wants his side to be set up.

A fully fit and firing Calvert-Lewin is surely crucial to how the rest of this campaign turns out for Everton. Hopefully, that improvement begins today.