Sport nationEverton is set to face a crucial match against Burnley at Goodison Park, with the team still searching for their first league win of 2024. The Toffees managed to secure a point in their last outing against Newcastle United, thanks to a penalty from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but they have yet to clinch a victory this year. As they continue their fight for Premier League survival, Everton is preparing for a significant clash with Burnley, and some changes to the starting lineup are expected.
One of the changes that could be seen in the upcoming game is the benching of midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. After a lackluster performance against Newcastle, where he won only 20% of his duels, it seems time for Doucoure to take a step back and allow another player to step up.
The potential starting XI for Everton could include Jordan Pickford in goal, who has been a standout performer this season with eight clean sheets. In defense, Ben Godfrey may continue at right-back, with Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski forming the central defensive partnership and Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back.
In midfield, Ashley Young could feature on the right, with Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye in the center, and Dwight McNeil on the left. James Garner is expected to start in the attacking midfield role, following a strong impact as a substitute in the previous match.
Leading the attack, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be looking to build on his goal against Newcastle and add to his tally against Burnley. The predicted full lineup for Everton against Burnley is as follows: Pickford; Godfrey, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Young, Gueye, Onana, McNeil; Garner; Calvert-Lewin.
In other news, Stan Collymore has voiced his opinion on the recent talks of “Radical Reform” in the Premier League following points deductions for Everton and Nottingham Forest. Collymore is critical of the idea of scrapping points deductions in favor of a “luxury tax,” arguing that it would only benefit the wealthiest clubs and encourage cheating. He believes that financial penalties are insufficient and that clubs found guilty of financial misconduct should face sporting punishments, including points deductions and potential relegation.
Collymore also points out that Everton has been unfairly treated as a test case this season, with a proposed ten-point deduction eventually reduced to six. He argues that the introduction of a luxury tax would only widen the gap between clubs and leave Everton to suffer the consequences of a punishment that others may avoid in the future. Collymore’s stance is clear: the Premier League should maintain sporting sanctions for financial violations to ensure a level playing field.
Citations:
[1] https://ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/web/direct-files/5413945/a6c4a2b8-1829-481b-9d2a-8f8ed9939507/paste.txt
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