Much has happened since Everton claimed their first point of the Premier League campaign at Leicester City last week, with The Friedkin Group set to purchase Farhad Moshiri’s majority stake in the club and usher in a new era.
For Sean Dyche, it could be the beginning of a new project on Merseyside, but he will know that he is teetering on the precipice at Goodison Park, and that a poor result against Crystal Palace this afternoon could have dire consequences for his tenure.
Everton’s dicey defending this term has led to some dreadful results – The Toffees have led across each of their past three top-flight matches but capitulated in the first two, slipping from two-goal leads, as well as allowing Leicester to come back and draw last weekend.
It couldn’t be a better time for Jarrad Branthwaite to make his anticipated return.
Jarrad Branthwaite's return from injury
Branthwaite returned to action last weekend for Everton’s U21s, winning 4-3 against Sunderland U21s and playing the full 90. He’s been absent throughout the start of the senior squad’s season due to a groin problem, but could bring his hulking presence into the rear against Palace.
The 22-year-old was a mainstay for Dyche last season, forging a formidable defensive partnership with James Tarkowski. He impressively won 68% of his contested duels and was even hailed as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his efforts.
Standing at 6 foot 5, he’s a real unit and offers an athletic mobility that will ensure that he restores some defensive steel both aerially and on the ground.
1. William Saliba
38
18
2. David Raya
32
16
3. Gabriel
36
15
4. Jordan Pickford
38
14
4. James Tarkowski
38
14
4. Ben White
37
14
4. Martin Odegaard
35
14
8. Jarrad Branthwaite
35
12
It’s crucial that he starts against an Eagles side that need three points just as much as Everton. However, he’s not the only change that must be made, with Tim Iroegbunam’s skillset also required to put Palace to the sword.
Why Tim Iroegbunam must start vs Crystal Palace
Iroegbunam signed for Everton from Aston Villa in a reported £9m package this summer, with the 21-year-old starting the first four of the club’s Premier League matches and even being hailed by The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland as one of the “standout” players from the side’s season thus far.
The deep-sitting midfielder needs to refine his ball-playing game but has impressed through his defensive metrics, winning 3.4 tackles and averaging 6.4 ball recoveries per game, also succeeding with 6.4 duels, as per Sofascore.
Such numbers actually see him rank among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 6% for interceptions and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, leading reporter Chris Beesley to hail him as “the brightest spark from a tough start”.
He could be crucial in nullifying Ebere Eze, who has the capacity to run rampant for the visitors. Eze has only scored one goal from five Premier League matches this year but has averaged two key passes, 1.8 dribbles and 5.8 successful duels per game.
A magician of a playmaker with incredible physical powers, Eze will need to be contained if Dyche is going to engineer a positive turning point, and Iroegbunam’s defensive ability – ahead of the returning Branthwaite – is apt to stifle him.
Against Leicester, Abdoulaye Doucoure partnered new signing Orel Mangala in the middle of the park, but this will not do against the south Londoners.
Doucoure, aged 31, worked tirelessly and covered a lot of ground, but Leicester won 56% of the contested duels in the contest, with Doucoure losing four of his seven attempts while committing three fouls.
Palace have struggled to adapt to the new campaign after an emphatic end to last season, and this is understandable after a summer of significant change, but Everton must now exploit this and could benefit from unleashing Ireogbunam once again ahead of Doucoure, with his combativeness potentially key in shackling Palace’s main man, Eze.
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