Everton line-ups for Arsenal as Beto, Youssef Chermiti and Lewis Dobbin decisions made
Joe Thomas - I would look to experiment in two areas
I don’t anticipate Sean Dyche to make wholesale changes today - to some degree he doesn’t have the options to even if he was that way inclined. Where I would look to experiment is in two areas: the left wing and upfront.
In Lewis Dobbin, Youssef Chermiti and Beto, Everton have potential answers to some of the problems they might face next season, and all three could do with more senior matchday experience. Last week I would have started two of those players, but with Arsenal looking to make their part of the equation as easy as possible, I could understand starting with a similar team to the one that lined-up against Sheffield United and then looking to make changes earlier in the game.
That 15th spot is also under challenge from Brentford and the few million it could represent does matter to the Blues in their current predicament. So I would actually start with the same line-up as last week, apart from putting Beto up top, but be ready to make substitutions much earlier depending on how the game progresses.
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I particularly want to see Amadou Onana start. His best performance for Everton was the home match against Arsenal last season, when he left an impression on the opposition’s dressing room. With sales expected, this would be a good chance for him to show everyone precisely what they could get and strengthen the Blues' position should offers come in over the coming weeks.
Last season, Dyche made wholesale changes early in the game at the Emirates after his side imploded. Whatever the circumstances, I want to see Dobbin get some serious game time on the left and I would like to see Chermiti come on for Beto as well. I would be intrigued to see Chermiti come on for Abdoulaye Doucoure to take a look at him as a support forward, but I would understand if Andre Gomes took that spot for one last run out in an Everton shirt.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Garner, Onana, Doucoure, Gueye, McNeil; Beto.
Chris Beesley - Everton can't get embarrassed by Arsenal again
James Tarkowski admits Everton would love to be party-poopers at the Emirates and drink the champagne that might be leftover by a crestfallen Arsenal whose Premier League title dreams could be in tatters. However, while Manchester City remain hot favourites to lift a record-breaking fourth consecutive crown - despite having 115 PSR-related charges hanging over them - the Blues still know they face a tall order emerging with anything from this fixture with the Gunners.
Everton have a rotten record away to Arsenal and their 0.35 points per game there across the Premier League era is lower than their returns at Manchester United (0.44), Chelsea (0.5) and Liverpool (0.56), and they have lost each of their six of their previous May meetings against them - all of which have been in north London.
Therefore, if Sean Dyche did have any inclination for experimentation it would have been in last weekend's final home game against already-relegated Sheffield United. He did not and the Blues just about emerged with a fifth straight Goodison Park victory and clean sheet.
This will be a far sterner challenge and while it might not be enough to overhaul Pep Guardiola's side at the summit, Mikel Arteta's men will be going all-out. Everton have ended their season in fine form but they need to make sure they don't get embarrassed again here and that requires the strongest side at their disposal.
My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young,; Garner, Gueye, Onana, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin.