Carlo Ancelotti will look to pick up a second successive win at the beginning of his Everton reign when his side travel to face Newcastle United on Saturday.
The fixture will come just 48 hours after the Toffees beat Burnley 1-0 at Goodison Park on Boxing Day, and the Italian manager already said post-match via BBC Sport that it is “impossible” for his team to be fully prepared for two games in the space of two days.
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Perhaps then changes could be on the cards for the Merseyside outfit at St James’ Park, in order to keep the players fresh during the busy festive period.
Here we try to predict Ancelotti’s starting XI against the Magpies…
Undoubted number one Jordan Pickford takes his place between the sticks, and there is one change in the backline.
It seemed as though the 60-year-old coach had picked four at the back against the Clarets, although Lucas Digne and Djibril Sidibe were almost playing as wing-backs with Seamus Coleman tucking in as a third centre-back throughout.
We expect Ancelotti to go with a proper 4-4-2 against Steve Bruce’s side though, with Leighton Baines coming in for Digne, and Sidibe playing at right-back with Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate in the centre.
Ahead of them, Theo Walcott comes in for Coleman and starts on the right wing to freshen things up, while Tom Davies comes in for Fabian Delph, who we feel won’t be able to manage two matches in 48 hours given his recent injury absence.
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Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bernard make up the rest of the midfield, while up top Moise Kean starts alongside the hero against Burnley – Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Richarlison looked to have potentially picked up a knock before he came off against the Clarets, and it would be a risk to play him from the start on Tyneside.
In other Everton news, Toffees fans have praised one player following his display against Burnley, with one supporter describing him as being “Pienaar-esque”…
