Everton line-ups for Brentford as Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson decisions made

Chris Beesley - One change from West Ham

Everton have to be careful with their most valuable player Jarrad Branthwaite as following both occasions he’s started this season, he’s subsequently suffered a reaction, but Brentford is such an important game for Sean Dyche, hopefully it’s third time lucky this term for ‘The Carlisle Kaiser’ if the Blues boss picks his star man.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Dyche said that he was hopeful everything would be ok with the centre-back while he also mentioned that Dwight McNeil, who missed the goalless draw at West Ham United last time out, had come through the international break “well” and “has had a really good week training.”

I’d therefore restore Everton’s top scorer to the side then at Abdoulaye Doucoure’s expense. After all, Thomas Frank’s side have been quick off the mark themselves so far this term but McNeil of course netted the winner for the Blues in the corresponding fixture under Dyche a couple of seasons ago after just 35 seconds and it goes without saying, the hosts could do with a bit of that this time out as they look to kick-start their historic final campaign at Goodison Park ahead of the busy festive period.

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My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Young, Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Branthwaite; Gueye, Mangala, Lindstrom, McNeil, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin

Joe Thomas - Harrison returns, Patterson in

The West Ham game was not the most entertaining, and Everton struggled to create chances, but I thought it was a better performance than some, and the opponent’s quality was still something to be wary of, even if their confidence was shot.

I don’t think huge changes are needed today, as a result. I think Everton improve with Jarrad Branthwaite back in the side. It’s games he needs to boost his fitness now, and that starts with today, for me. James Tarkowski would go alongside him in my team. I do think Michael Keane has been the better of the pair recently but it makes sense to try and find the solidity their partnership offered so successfully last season.

If anything it’s mindset rather than players I would change for this game. Everton cannot afford to be passive. I want an aggressive start that takes the crowd with it. And I want to try and have players in positions that give Everton a better chance of creating opportunities and putting a side that has lost every away league game this season on the back foot.

My two main alterations would therefore be Nathan Patterson in for Ashley Young and swapping Dwight McNeil (who returns after missing West Ham) with Iliman Ndiaye.

Young has done well for some time but Patterson offers more going forward and I’d like to see him given an opportunity to make an impression. Any concern about his defensive credentials can be offset by bringing in Jack Harrison for Jesper Lindstrom.

Having Harrison and McNeil back out wide should boost both full backs and allow them to get forward more, in turn creating more space for them, all without huge defensive sacrifices. Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure are then my defensive core in the middle that free up Ndiaye to have a roaming role behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

That’s actually quite a few changes isn’t it!

My team (4-4-1-1): Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Patterson; McNeil, Doucoure, Gueye, Harrison; Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin