Everton line-ups for Leicester as Dixon and Lindstrom decisions made

Our writers pick their preferred XIs for the Blues' huge game against the Foxes on Saturday

Everton line-ups for Leicester as Roman Dixon and Jesper Lindstrom decisions made

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Chris Beesley - Dixon gets another chance

Sean Dyche made eight changes for Everton’s Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton so he looks likely to be doing some significant shuffling of the pack again for the showdown at Leicester City as the Blues go in search of their first Premier League points of the season after four consecutive defeats. Surely, England number one Jordan Pickford, who unlike Joao Virginia in the shoot-out against the Saints, saved a penalty last time Everton were at the King Power Stadium, comes back in goal but after that, it’s all up in the air.

With Vitalii Mykolenko having recovered from illness but captain Seamus Coleman worse than initially thought, I’d imagine Dyche will pick Ashley Young at right-back but personally I’d go with a prospect from the other end of the age spectrum and go with Roman Dixon, who is some two decades younger than the Blues player who was denied from the spot on Tuesday night. Dyche says he’s hopeful on James Tarkowski – who hasn’t missed a Premier League game since he joined the club – but Michael Keane is due to undergo a scan.

Idrissa Gueye misses out for personal issues but Abdoulaye Doucoure, who led by example when scoring while captaining the side last time out, can therefore be deployed further back. Dwight McNeil, who started at left-back against Southampton, reverts to his number 10 rile behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin who now “looks ok” according to the Blues boss.

My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Dixon, Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Keane; Iroegbunam, Doucoure, Harrison, Ndiaye, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin

Joe Thomas - Lindstrom handed first league start

This feels like a hapless task given the uncertainty around who will and will not be available, with James Garner and Jack Harrison entering the final days of this week still battling illness and James Tarkowski and Michael Keane facing late fitness calls.

This all provides Sean Dyche with a lot to think about. It is almost certain he will have to select a defence that is not fully fit. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Vitalii Mykolenko may still be dealing with the effects of the bouts of illness that ruled them out of Southampton too. Idrissa Gueye will be absent due to sad personal circumstances and Seamus Coleman is facing a longer term injury absence than had been hoped.

So where can Dyche go? Jake O’Brien starts for me. When to introduce him into the Premier League starting line-up has been an ongoing debate. It should be over today. He is set to be the only fully fit centre back at the squad and that makes him pivotal. Who he partners with depends on fitness. If Tarkowski is fit then he has been a linchpin of the back line for several years. But he has been dealing with injuries since July and the longer term outlook is important here - Everton have a great run of fixtures coming up, Leicester City is big but not big enough to put his availability for those games at risk. Keane’s issue was minor, essentially a concern a dead leg was not a more serious issue. He picked up an assist and had the bravery to take the first penalty and must be considered if he is fit.

At right back, if Garner is unavailable it is hard to look beyond academy youngster Roman Dixon, who started at Tottenham Hotspur and then against Southampton on Tuesday, where he had a tough night against Ryan Fraser but continued his growth and offered an attacking threat.

In the middle I would start Orel Mangala and Abdoulaye Doucoure - Doucoure in a deeper role than he has typically played under Dyche. That would allow Iliman Ndiaye to play centrally and higher up the pitch. I think Everton have to provide an attacking threat in this match and he is the club’s most dangerous player and the best hope of preventing Dominic Calvert-Lewin from becoming isolated. Dwight McNeil starts on the left for me, and on the right I would go for Jesper Lindstrom.

It is easy to focus on his misses against Southampton but that he provided a threat and found himself in promising positions is a positive. Everton can hurt this Leicester side and while the numbers are so limited, they might be better off focusing on what they can do to hurt their opponents rather than how they can protect themselves in the face of critical absences.

My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Mykolenko, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Dixon; McNeil, Doucoure, Mangala, Lindstrom; Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin

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