David Moyes has stuck with the same starting XI from last week’s dramatic draw with Brentford for the Merseyside derby.
The Blues boss, with a fully fit squad to select from apart from the notable absence of Jack Grealish, appears to have settled on his first-choice team heading into a run-in that will decide the club’s European ambitions.
Victory over Liverpool on Sunday would provide a huge boost on that front, not only moving Everton into sixth but within two points of their fierce rivals, who occupy what is currently the final Champions League spot.
Hoping to do that, Moyes has opted for consistency with his selection, thus giving Beto another opportunity to torment the Liverpool backline. The forward has enjoyed this fixture and, while he has not always shown the ruthlessness required to lead Everton to good results, he has typically found chances.
He will be supported in that endeavour by Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, two in-form attacking players who will hope to exploit any fragility in a visiting side that suffered disappointment at the hands of PSG in the Champions League in midweek.
Dwight McNeil keeps his spot on the right of the midfield – meaning there is no opportunity for Tyrique George to have an impact from the start, despite his positive cameo in London last week.
At the back, Vitalii Mykolenko will resume his battle with Mo Salah for one final occasion in this fixture while Jake O’Brien is tasked with managing Cody Gakpo on the right. That leaves Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski, who each scored in the last two Goodison Park derbies, in partnership at the back.
EVERTON: Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien; Garner, Gueye; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil; Beto. Subs: Travers, Patterson, Keane, Barry, George, Dibling, Alcaraz, Rohl, Iroegbunam.
