Everton to push all the way for a European place
Everton's 1-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday has once again both made fifth to eighth bunch up (three points separating the group at the time of writing), and revived their own hopes of European football next season under Carlo Ancelotti. On Thursday evening, they again travel to another team in claret and blue. Aston Villa were unable to keep their lead against Manchester United, and were eventually on the end of a 3-1 defeat. Nevertheless, mid-table comfort is indicative of a big improvement for Dean Smith this campaign, but does leave them with relatively little at stake in their remaining four games. Read our preview here:
Is Nakamba Marvelous?
Naturally, the sharp turnaround between games will necessitate a shuffling of the deck for both sides. This will be most evident in the hosts' midfield and forward lines, where rare starts could be handed to Marvelous Nakamba and Keinan Davis respectively. The former has mostly featured as one of the double pivot, and has started to slowly become more prominent as 2021 has gone on. The Zimbabwean international is more of a throwback to the days of Claude Makelélé in the sense that he's primarily a destroyer, breaking up the play of the opposition rather than instigating it himself. This can still work in modern football, especially against a club where the onus will be on them attacking in numbers to crank up the pressure on the other teams to get results in the scramble for the places below Leicester City. John McGinn is able to drift forwards from his role alongside him, and in Ross Barkley, Villa have a midfield capable of mixing it up and frustrating the opposition, even if they're not all first choice.
Monumental Mason
Everton's triumph against the Hammers owed as much to a stout and stoic defensive display as it did the reliable head of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Whilst there's certainly an argument to be made that they ought to have scored more as a collective this season, they have mostly been solid at the back, which has been very timely as they look to upset the applecart, and possibly their city rivals Liverpool at the finishing line. Mason Holgate continues to mature, combining his propensity to be on the right side of a four with a more frequent appearance as the right-sided centre back in a three. It is not an easy transition to make, but the 24 year old has quietly been one of the better performers during the campaign. Doubtlessly, fewer changes will be made in the visitors' ranks, reflecting the necessity of obtaining all three points. Richarlison could be pushed up top alongside Calvert-Lewin whilst simultaneously ensuring extra security for the trio in front of Jordan Pickford by allowing Tom Davies to patrol as the furthest back of the central midfield triumvirate.
Buttery Toffees
The need for heavy rotation for Villa will badly hurt their own chances of damaging Everton's late push for glory. Equally, Ollie Watkins' red card against United is another blow, as is the likelihood that Thursday's match will come too soon for Jack Grealish. betway have odds of 2.60 for an away win that will ensure lots of drama in the next two weeks.
