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First post-World Cup match a must-win for Everton

By Matt Townsend

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton and Daniel Podence of Wolverhampton Wanderers in action during the Premier League match between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park on March 13, 2022 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton and Daniel Podence of Wolverhampton Wanderers in action during the Premier League match between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park on March 13, 2022 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images) /
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Everton face what is probably a must-win match when they host Wolves on Boxing Day as the Premier League returns following the World Cup.

It seems like a long time ago when Everton slumped to consecutive heavy defeats to Bournemouth to finish their domestic schedule before the World Cup kicked off.

Those 4-1 and 3-0 losses on the South Coast brought Blues’ fans back down to earth with a bump, after what had previously been a reasonably solid first few months of the season, which had engendered some renewed positivity about the team’s longer-term prospects.

They also came after the Toffees’ had been defeated at home by Leicester City meaning Everton haven’t tasted victory since the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on the 22nd October.

It wasn’t just the fact of losing so heavily to Bournemouth twice in a row, but the manner of those defeats that was so worrying.

The attack, such a problem all season, was toothless and lacking any threat as we’ve all come to expect. But, in addition, the Blues’ looked defensively vulnerable too.

A considerably improved defence had been the foundation Frank Lampard sought to build on since the start of the campaign and this defence had been statistically among the Premier League’s best.

So, to see the Toffees’ concede seven goals against the Cherries’ was therefore especially concerning for all supporters.

Everyone knows that the club simply must secure at least two more forwards in the upcoming January transfer window or the team will almost certainly face a long, hard struggle for survival again.

However, could there be another defensive signing as well in the New Year?

Despite adding James Tarkowski and Conor Coady in the summer, Everton are being constantly linked with other defenders such as Rodrigo Becao.

And, with the rumours that Micheal Keane, Yerry Mina and now possibly Ruben Vinagre, might well leave Merseyside in January, signing another defender could well be on the cards.

Turning our attention back to Monday’s game against Wolves, one of the current crop of defenders Coady is ineligible to play so he will have to be replaced by either Keane, Mina (if fit) or possibly the returning Ben Godfrey.

Lampard might well be tempted to revert to the three-man central defence he started the season with, bringing Godfrey in alongside Mina or Keane.

I’m not convinced that would be a good idea and assuming he’s able to return I would prefer the manager start with Mina alongside Tarkowski.

There are of course other injury problems for Lampard as yet again Dominic Calvert-Lewin is very likely to be absent due to his latest collection of knocks.

To be honest, the endless injuries Calvert-Lewin suffers are getting a little absurd now and it seems as though he will never be able to play more than one or two matches in a row for Everton before he breaks down again. Time to get rid in the summer if you ask me.

So, I suppose that means Neal Maupay will have to lead the home side’s attack with presumably Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray alongside him. That doesn’t fill me with much confidence. Could young striker Tom Cannon possibly get a chance for some minutes against Wolves later on?

Whoever plays and however they line up in two day’s time, I think three points really is a must to restore some hope and momentum for a difficult and hectic run of games.