Everton v Manchester City Review: five talking points

Doucoure’s return means Lampard has to play three in midfield

3. Midfield three shows this is the way forward for Everton

A number of times this season Everton’s midfield has been overrun and they might as well have had a white flag how easy it was for the opposition to play through them.

Last week at Southampton I described the midfield in the second half as powder puff and Andre Gomes quite rightly was nowhere near the team this weekend.

The return of Abdoulaye Doucoure from injury enabled Lampard to move to a dynamic midfield three covering all areas with Allan and Donny Van De Beek. This looked a solid and positive move to make Everton more stable but also offer better links to the forward players.

Fortunately against City it didn’t just look like this, it performed like it too. Everton’s midfield for a time on the first half actually dominated City’s usual dynamic midfield three, which this time consisted of Rodri, De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.

Allan in particular was everywhere, maybe feeling a little guilty for his early booking and subsequent substitution at half time last weekend. He was pressing and harassing the City midfield and back line at every opportunity and created the chance for Kenny which hit the side netting.

Doucoure also made an excellent return, breaking up City attacks and bounding forward to join Everton’s attacks. In this midfield three Doucoure should excel, Allan gives the tackling and cover if he goes forward while Van De Beek offers the easy pass to switch play or keep momentum going.

Van De Beek also played his part and looked so much more comfortable with these two players either side of him. His defensive work was good too, twice breaking up very dangerous attacks, the second after Pickford’s double save probably saved a certain goal.

Worryingly for Lampard, Van De Beek went off with what looked like a niggling leg injury in the second half, as he is cup tied anyway he will have a good week to see if he is fit for the trip to Spurs next Monday night.

Certainly for away games where Everton have struggled to keep possession in midfield and then in return stop the opposition from playing through them easily, this midfield three has to be the way forward for the rest of the season. Possibly in games requiring more attack minded play Dele Alli could step in as a number ten option.

Certainly for half an hour or so in the first half on Saturday Lampard would have seen the light in terms of a 4-3-3 formation going forward. These three together seem to compliment each other very well and must be the remit to get Everton away from the relegation zone.