Everton starting line-up predictions and team news for Premier League fixture away to Crystal Palace

 Amadou Onana of Everton applauds supporters after the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and Burnley at Goodison Park on November 01, 2023 in Liverpool, England

Everton are back in Premier League action this afternoon as they take on Crystal Palace. The game at Selhurst Park kicks off at 3pm.

Sean Dyche has a few dilemmas with his team selection for today’s clash. So how should the Blues boss play it?

Here are three predicted starting XIs from our writers for you to mull over…

The importance of those players to his approach and the prospect of operating without more than one of them was a reminder of how thin his options are in the event of a few unfortunate injuries.

Hopefully all will be available though and, if so, they all start for me. Idrissa Gueye played well against Brighton but Onana has quietly been building momentum this season and I think he is building a promising partnership in the middle with James Garner that should be resurrected at the first opportunity. The only real debate for me is the right-back situation, where I think Nathan Patterson can count himself unlucky not to have been given more of a chance. Ashley Young played well against Brighton and I don’t think he deserves to be dropped on that performance though.

My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Young; McNeil, Onana, Doucoure, Garner, Harrison; Calvert-Lewin.

Chris Beesley: It seems as though Sean Dyche has only one real selection poser for the trip to Crystal Palace as Everton look to extend their unbeaten run to four matches.

If we’re taking the Blues boss to his word then there shouldn’t be “too much trouble” with Abdoulaye Doucoure’s sickness or the knocks that he told us about for Jarrad Branthwaite and Amadou Onana who missed the 1-1 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out. Doucoure has become hugely-important to how this Everton side play with his ability to knit together the midfield and attack – something that was emphasised in his absence when Arnaut Danjuma struggled in that role when starting against Burnley – while Branthwaite of course has been a defensive colossus ever since he came into the team.

Therefore it’s the status of the seemingly fit-again Onana that is the biggest dilemma for the visit to Selhurst Park. Dyche said that the 22-year-old had “done well to get to get through the games he did” and “hopefully we’ve managed that well with him as well and it’s calmed down.”

Although the Belgium international has been impressive in his recent outings, given that and the fact that there is an international break after the Crystal Palace fixture, I’d be inclined for Dyche to retain the more defensive-minded Gueye in the starting line-up in south London and keep Onana up his sleeve as a potential option with a point to prove off the bench if required.

My team (4-5-1): Pickford; Young, Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Branthwaite; Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin.

Jim Quinlan: The Blues were resilient last time out against Brighton and were unlucky to concede that late equaliser, so that is why Sean Dyche should feel no need to make any defensive alterations without being forced to. I would like to see Seamus Coleman make a return though at some point, even if just a brief cameo, as the boss said he might be involved.

Then in midfield, if like Dyche was expecting, Amadou Onana needs to be brought back in. Idrissa Gueye has the defensive know-how but this area of the pitch will require strength and legs to do battle with the pacey advanced options Roy Hodgson has at his disposal.Finally striker of course comes down to one of two options. You could argue the case for Beto, as the game plan would be to stick his 6′ 3′ frame up against 5′ 9′ Marc Guehi and allow the others around him to play off him, but ultimately Dominic Calvert-Lewin just provides that warmth and comfort heading into a match, knowing he’s more likely to burst through the lines and nick a goal.

My team (4-4-1-1): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Garner, Onana, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin