The only saving grace for Everton against Bournemouth is that the next game is now the Merseyside Derby and you’ve got to be up for it. You’ve got to concentrate and ensure you’re switched on to help your team-mates.

We’re up against our arch rivals who are on top in the Premier League and in Europe, so we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. You can’t go hiding in games like this and the whole world is watching.

It’s a fantastic occasion and the kind of game that you want to be involved in but performances like that against Bournemouth will teach David Moyes who he can trust for matches like this.

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We know the qualities of the team across the park, we know what they’re all about and what they can achieve. But we also know their weaknesses – they don’t like runners, they don’t like balls in behind over the full-backs and they don’t like a physical fight and we proved that with our performance against them last season at Goodison Park.

When Carlos Alcaraz came on, what he did ability wise was fantastic, but it was also basic. He got the ball down and ran with it.

That’s what you want, players with a bit of intent. But most of the time we just looked to pass the buck.

Alcaraz also brings the unknown factor, which is great. Moyes has mentioned that he’s come in and he looks very fit as often new signings from overseas need time to get up to speed with the Premier League.

He’d only been in the building a few hours but showed accountability when he told everyone to get out of the way and take the free kick and hit the post. When he won a tackle, he drove forwards with the ball and tried to break the lines with his running ability.

Alcaraz also showed that he can make the right choices on the ball in possession, getting the ball out wide to fellow substitute Jack Harrison to put the crosses in. Carlos has put himself up there to potentially start but who might he come in for?

Abdoulaye Doucoure is only playing because of his legs with his ability to run around the pitch, causing havoc and trying to win possession back. When he’s on the ball himself, he let’s himself down too often.

Carlos also seems to have that determination to win the ball back. He’s got that South American hunger in him which is great to see, but he’s also shown he’s got ability.

Like the majority of Everton’s players this season, Vitalii Mykolenko’s form has been very bitty. While he’s got his limitations, he’s had good battles with Mohamed Salah, especially last season at Anfield where I thought he played really well but then he scored two goals after he went off the pitch.

Salah has been in unbelievable form again with his numbers this season but Mykolenko seems to have his better games against top opposition. He seems to up his game against the likes of Salah and Bukayo Saka.

He concentrates on what he needs to do and does pretty well to be fair. He seems to have a knock at the moment though but hopefully him missing the FA Cup tie against Bournemouth gives him the opportunity to come back fit on Wednesday night.

It’s a bit concerning when you look at what we could have done in January. While we understand where the club are with their financial situation, come the summer, I think the left-back area will be one of the priorities that Moyes has been looking at since he got to the football club.

The new manager is trying to get the full-backs going, getting forwards and being more involved and putting crosses in, which is part of your job as a full-back. Does Mykolenko have the ability to do that week in, week out and have that delivery going forwards like Leighton Baines had under Moyes’ stewardship?

We haven’t seen that since he came to the football club, not very often anyway. But we do miss him when he’s injured as Ashley Young is nearly 40.

Young has been a great pro and a great servant to the game for many years, but we know his limitations at this stage of his career. He’s also a round peg in a square hole who can fill in and do a job for you.

Fingers crossed that Mykolenko can get back fit for this game but Young does have the experience and know-how to play big games. He knows all the dark arts and how to be cute and clever at the right times but if he plays in that left-back position, he’s going to need help.

Everton will have to deploy communication in and around Young to protect him at all costs if he starts at left-back. He knows how to do his job defensively, that’s the easy part of football, the question is when you get on the ball, you need to make the right decisions at the right times.

We know how much derby days mean to the fans, we’ve been brought up on it. But as a player you’ve got to have that boxing mentality where you can’t see red and cross over the line.

Whether that’s Carlos Alcaraz coming over from South America for his first derby or any of the players, show grit, show determination, show the right attitude to make it physical and difficult for the opposition but just don’t cross that line. We’ve seen it from both sides over the years.

You hit that traffic lights moment where you’re on amber but as soon as you go red, you’re letting the opposition win. Hopefully the likes of Young and Seamus Coleman can gee up the boys as much as possible to be determined, switched on and at it but also keep their heads to try and help us get something from the game.