Newcastle v Everton: 5 talking points ahead of the game

Everton deadline day signings offer Frank Lampard a welcome selection headache

3. New signings offer Lampard a welcome problem

If Lampard goes for four at the back it really does open up his options in the midfield areas, and of course he has more options with deadline signings Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli now available after both being cup tied on Saturday.

There are two ways Lampard can go with the formation, a 4-2-2-2 or a 4-3-3, and he has used both in the past with Derby and Chelsea.

The 4-2-2-2 option opens up the possibility of Van de Beek and Alli starting at Newcastle, they would play in the two behind the front two and be asked to dovetail between going forward and helping to track back. When Everton have the ball in the final third both would make runs into the penalty area or on the edge of it.

This option would leave Allan and Andre Gomes to sit in and control the play and pass the ball between the lines as they did so well at the weekend.

I think this would be too big a gamble to go with this formation is this type of game, it would probably be of better use against Leeds who play a similar style to that on Saturday at Goodison Park.

Therefore the 4-3-3 would be preferential for me and would offer more protection of the back four and be more of a match up to what we expect Newcastle to set up like too.

In the 4-3-3 again Allan and Gomes would sit in but would have Alli or Van de Beek as a key cog in front of them to spread the play. The risk of having the full backs as the only width would be dangerous with Saint-Maximin ready to counter attack.

Now who to choose between Alli and Van de Beek? Fitness will be a key factor as both have not played much first team football this season, Van de Beek hasn’t in his whole 18 months at Manchester United to be fair. Plus Alli offers you that run into the box to get the knockdowns off Calvert-Lewin, very similar to the way he worked with Harry Kane at Spurs.

It is not to say whoever is left out wouldn’t make an impression as this game will be very tight and a player off the bench could well be decisive in the outcome of the match.