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And they’ll have to balance those aims with that of winning the series which is tied after two games

The Preview by Arun Venugopal in Mohali22-Oct-20161:10

‘Goal is to win the series’ – Southee

Match factsSunday, October 23, 2016
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)Landscape-gazing from an airplane window is a fascinating exercise, mostly because the topography of each city tells its own story. While Dharamsala has gorgeously irregular shapes, with its jagged hills and silent valleys, Delhi’s tightly-packed clusters paint a chaotic visual. New Zealand’s performance in the first two ODIs mirrored these patterns.There was one big innings in between several small ones in Dharamsala. Then the bowlers banded together and found redemption in a panicky finish in Delhi. The 1-1 scoreline may offer temporary respite, but for New Zealand to pull ahead their batting needs to go beyond the twin-prongs of Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson. Should they replicate the consistency of Chandigarh’s neatly carved, symmetric landscape in their performances, they would have done their job.India, on the other hand, won’t worry over the Delhi loss. MS Dhoni’s grouse about the absence of big partnerships may be justified, but the middle and lower-middle orders didn’t look entirely out of depth. Kedar Jadhav was very good before Hardik Pandya’s bravado, in the company of Umesh Yadav, almost took them home. India will want to win the series, but in making allowance for the younger players to make mistakes, learn from them and find their feet in their respective roles, they could also keep the bigger picture of the Champions Trophy in mind.Form guideIndia LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLWLWIn the spotlightKedar Jadhav has provided excellent value for money in this series. He is very new to the role of part-time bowler but has delivered wickets on order in both the games. Then he smashed a 37-ball 41 on a sluggish Kotla surface where batsmen struggled to score quickly. If Jadhav could be moulded into a finisher alongside Pandya, he would count as among India’s biggest gains from this series.Tom Latham has the most runs for New Zealand on the tour. He also has the most fifties. While he carried his bat in Dharamsala, his dismissal against the run of play in Delhi slowed down his team’s scoring rate. With the middle order not pulling its weight, Latham will be expected to bat deep into the innings again.Kedar Jadhav has been making the most of his run with the team•BCCI

Team newsIndia’s media manager Nishant Arora confirmed Suresh Raina, who has been recovering from a fever, wasn’t travelling with the squad. This could mean Jadhav getting an extended run in the middle order. Rohit Sharma trained with no apparent discomfort after he seemed to suffer a cramp in his left arm during the second ODI.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Jasprit BumrahJames Neesham was seen having a long bowl in the nets. With the Mohali pitch not as dry as Delhi’s, he might come in place of Anton Devcich. Tim Southee ruled out resting Trent Boult or Matt Henry as part of New Zealand’s workload-management strategy for the rest of the series. New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 James Neesham/Anton Devcich, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Matt HenryPitch and conditionsSouthee said he was pleased to see some grass on the pitch in Mohali, although not much could be read into that considering the venue has traditionally been good for batting in ODIs. In the afternoon, head curator Daljeet Singh and Dhoni were seen having a long chat, following which the light roller was used on the pitch.Stats and trivia India have won three of their last four ODIs in Mohali MS Dhoni needs 22 runs to become the third wicketkeeper to 9000 runs in ODIs. Kumar Sangakkara and Adam Gilchrist are the other two. Kane Williamson has the highest aggregate (396 runs) for a New Zealand batsman in a five-match ODI series. Ross Taylor is second on the list with 375 runs. Both batsmen achieved this during New Zealand’s tour to England last year.QuotesRoss [Taylor] has had a difficult Test series, but he is a class batsman. Every cricketer goes through form slumps. He is obviously disappointed and he wants to leave with runs. We know there is a big score around the corner for him.
Anil [Kumble] doesn’t talk a lot about technique, but mentally he helps a lot. He talks a lot about the mental frame of mind even when you are not playing in the XI. His batting tips to tailenders, especially, have been very crucial as well.

Newcastle United have exceeded expectations this season by qualifying for the Champions League with a top-four finish and reaching the Carabao Cup final, falling to Manchester United in a close encounter.

Returning to the pinnacle of continental competition after a two-decade absence, Newcastle are in a sterling position to craft a lasting dynasty following the affluent PIF takeover of the club in October 2021, ending years of obscurity under the ownership of the loathed Mike Ashley.

While a plethora of names are in circulation with the opening of the transfer window just over two weeks away, supporters can rest easy and eagerly await the first announcement of the summer, with manager Eddie Howe stating that four 'elite' additions will be targeted to bolster the fold.

One of the shrewder signings could come in the form of Red Devils midfielder Scott McTominay, with Football Insider claiming that the 26-year-old has told friends that he wishes to leave the Theatre of Dreams this summer after falling out of favour under the tutelage of Erik ten Hag.

Newcastle are joined by West Ham United in their pursuit of the tenacious midfielder, who still has two years on his current contract with the option for a further year.

Should Newcastle sign Scott McTominay?

Eyebrows might be raised by a smattering of Magpies supporters, but McTominay could represent an astute piece of business for a Newcastle side preparing for an increase in competition after qualifying for the Champions League.

While the 38-cap international has only started ten Premier League matches all season, including just four since September, he has made 207 total appearances for his solitary club and played a role in clinching the Carabao Cup trophy earlier this season.

He could also bring an offensive threat to Howe's squad, ranking among the top 23% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 5% for expected goals (xG) – the metric used to define the statistical measurement of the probability that a shot will find the back of the net.

While the 6 foot 4 brute has been underperforming in front of goal, it is an indication that his position is in the final third, emerging from the half-spaces to occupy promising pockets of space, and this is something that could play into the Magpies' favour as they seek fresh dimensions to enhance their prospects next term.

The £60k-per-week gem's defensive acumen isn't too shabby either, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers for clearances and the top 18% for rate of tackles per 90, praised as a "physical monster" by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Signing the "superb" conductor – as he has been praised by writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz – could draw rumours of Newcastle interest in Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot to a close, with FBref drawing similarities between the respective skill sets of the midfielders.

Despite Rabiot's contract in Turin concluding this summer, his £150k-per-week wages could prove to be a stumbling block in any negotiations, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting at the start of the campaign that the 6 foot 2 Frenchman demanded £162k-per-week wages from Man United when the Red Devils were in negotiation for his signature last summer.

And with the towering aces both exhibiting a similar skill set – Rabiot ranks among the top 3% of midfielders for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 17% for rate of clearances and the top 16% for aerials won per 90 – Howe may well be inclined to delve down the shrewder avenue and tie up a deal for a Prem-proven star in McTominay.

Aston Villa are on the brink of European football in what has been a complete turnaround of events at Villa Park this season.

The 2022/23 campaign has been one to remember for the Villans, who have thrived since the arrival of Unai Emery, who joined the club in October.

The Spaniard has relished on his Premier League return, with the Midlands club sitting 2nd in the table as of 2023, collecting more points than Arsenal this year, showing their progression ahead of the summer break.

Villa’s rise is projected to go way beyond the 51-year-old’s first season in charge, with Villa Park the centre of transfer speculation with the window fast approaching.

The latest news regarding potential movements this summer links an established Premier League ace with a move to the Midlands.

What’s the latest on Anthony Martial to Aston Villa?

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial could be on the move this summer, with Football Transfers linking the Frenchman with a loan move to Villa Park.

United have been speculated to be eyeing a new striker in the coming window, sparking rumours that the versatile striker could depart Old Trafford.

It’s reported that Villa are “weighing up” the option to bring the 27-year-old to the club on a year-long loan deal with a further option to buy.

What could Anthony Martial bring to Aston Villa?

Things haven’t been ticking for the £250k-per-week Frenchman in Manchester over the past few seasons, seeing him fall out of favour coinciding with the club’s change in managers that have trialled their favoured squads.

While the 27-year-old is used primarily as a centre-forward when called upon in Erik ten Hag’s system, the forward has previously been effective from the wing, an area that Martial has named as his favoured position.

The Massy-born ace told Sky Sports in 2016 – as relayed by Football365 – that he loves “playing wide”, which could be an interesting prospect when it comes to his link to Villa.

Rene Meulensteen, former United first-team coach to manager Alex Ferguson, told Stadium Astro (via GOAL) that he believes the Frenchman’s best position is on the “left-hand side coming in”.

Emery, who explained his wishes to sign a “specialist winger” in January, could utilise the United players’ strengths to replenish his form on the flanks, in a role that could potentially force Leon Bailey out of the squad.

Despite making just ten starts in comparison to the Jamiacan’s 25 this season, Martial has outscored the Villa winger in what has been an inconsistent campaign for the £85k-per-week player.

Away from goal-scoring attributes, Martial offers more in providing for his teammates, as shown through his 0.26 assists compared to Bailey’s 0.19 per 90. His passing strengths excel those of the winger, making 2.97 progressive passes in comparison to the 25-year-old’s 1.28 per 90 – as per FBref.

Bailey has had spells of brilliance this season, however adding a “world-class” player, as lauded by Robin van Persie, to the squad to challenge his position could be influential to his consistency.

Emery could have two players in his arsenal that are hungry to prove their worth through consistency, with Martial being a player that has been starved of game-time as of late and desperate to replenish his stay in England.

A loan deal could be suited to both club and player as a trial, with the United ace able to bring valued experience to the Spaniard’s budding squad and potential competition for Villa’s forwards.

Manchester United claimed an important victory this weekend, seeing off Wolverhampton Wanderers as Old Trafford played host to a comfortable 2-0 win.

Limiting the visitors to just five shots all game, none of which were on target, marked a near-perfect all-around display from front to back for the Red Devils.

However, it was also massively buoyed by the return of Raphael Varane, who made a surprise start after missing their last five games through injury.

In the absence of the Frenchman and Lisandro Martinez, who had already been ruled out for the rest of the season, it became clear how woefully weak the depth Erik ten Hag has at centre back.

Having swapped between Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and a makeshift Luke Shaw, it seems that this has spurred the Dutchman into the transfer market ahead of schedule.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

According to French publication Foot Mercato, United have already held talks with the representatives of Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, and view the Napoli defender as their top defensive target.

With a €50m (£44m) release clause active for a period within this summer window, it promises to be a thrilling saga that could see the South Korean end up in Manchester.

How has Kim Min-jae played this season?

Given the struggles felt without their two starting centre-backs, winning only one of the five league matches without them, the need to slowly integrate a replacement for the 30-year-old Varane has become clear.

After all, the former Real Madrid star has only managed 22 league appearances this season, set to only narrowly surpass the 22 he mustered last year too.

Injuries have plagued the majority of the World Cup winner’s United career, and thus a young and fresh alternative is imperative.

Across all competitions this season, the alternative 26-year-old has conversely managed a mammoth 43 appearances for his title-winning outfit.

Kim has been ever-present throughout that remarkable Serie A campaign, maintaining a 7.24 average rating that has been underpinned by a 91% pass accuracy and 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 3.6 clearances, as per Sofascore.

For comparison, Varane’s 86% pass accuracy and 3.9 clearances, one tackle and 0.5 interceptions per game (via Sofascore) do imitate the Naples stopper, arguably to a lesser extent.

Such imperious defensive showings from Kim even led his mercurial teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to brand him an “iron barrel” at the back, imperative at the heart of their defence.

Although Ten Hag will not want to envision a future without his star centre-back, Varane has proven his unreliability at times in recent years.

For just the touted £40m fee, to snatch this 6 foot 3 titan from Italy would mark a remarkable deal to ease those worries of the future.

TalkSPORT's Mark Goldbridge has taken to Twitter to speak out over Man City's controversial equaliser in the Champions League against Real Madrid.

What is the reaction to Man City vs Real Madrid?

The two sides clashed in the first leg of their semi-final fixture on Tuesday night, with both teams desperate to try and get the upper hand heading into the reverse game.

It was the Spanish side who took the lead, with the La Liga giants taking 36 minutes to break the deadlock. Left-back Eduardo Camavinga dorve forward and found Vinicius Jr, who fired the ball past Ederson to send Madrid in front by half-time.

City fought their way back into the tie impressively though and it was Kevin De Bruyne who finally bagged the equaliser in the 67th minute. The Belgian had efforts saved earlier on in the clash but after a pass from Ilkay Gundogan landed at his feet, he fired a rocket of a shot into the next to even the game.

Despite Madrid continuing to threaten though, with Karim Benzema having an effort saved towards the back end of the half, the fixture ended level.

There was controversy though surrounding City's goal, with the ball seemingly heading out of play in the build-up to De Bruyne's equaliser. Upon inspection, Bernardo Silva controlled the ball whilst it was out of touch but the referee didn't rule it that way and the English side went on to score – beIN Sports later confirmed that it did go out of play.

It led to Goldbridge heading to Twitter to have his say on the incident. He was quick to admit his disbelief, as he said: "Can't believe that's the biggest game of the season in Europe and they've allowed a goal where the ball clearly went out. Never known a season with such bad officiating."

Did Man City deserve a result against Real Madrid?

It was Pep Guardiola's side who dominated possession in the fixture with a 55% share and they knocked the ball around with aplomb too, managing both more passes and a better pass accuracy than their opponents here (565 passes, 91% accuracy).

However, having the lion's share of the ball didn't really pay off – it was Madrid who actually had better chances and made their time in possession count more. The Spanish side had a better xG rate (although it was tight at 0.70 to City's 0.55) and they also had more efforts on goal with more big chances created.

Pep Guardiola then will need to ensure that in the second leg of this Champions League fixture that his side do more with the ball in terms of generating opportunities, though given neither team conjured more than 1.00 xG one would have to say it was perfeclty fair for City to head home with the tie on a knife-edge.

A season of notable highs for Newcastle United reached a new peak on Sunday afternoon, with Eddie Howe's men taking a giant stride toward securing a Champions League berth after hitting Tottenham Hotspur for six at St James' Park.

That scintillating showing from the Magpies was merely a further indication of the remarkable revival that the club have enjoyed since the change in ownership back in October 2021, with the arrival of the PIF regime having revitalised an undoubted sleeping giant.

Among the many successes that the new owners have enjoyed during their time at the helm – namely appointing Eddie Howe as manager – one notable blinder that they appear to have pulled off is the signing of Sven Botman, with the Dutchman having been a "colossal" presence at the back of late, according to journalist Josh Bunting.

As Bunting also noted earlier in the campaign, the former Lille ace has made a "huge difference" since his £35m arrival last summer, having formed part of a backline that has shipped just 25 Premier League goals this season.

That rock-solid record is a far cry from the club's woes amid their fight against relegation last season, with the Tynesiders having conceded 62 goals in the league alone in that 2021/22 campaign – further proof of Botman's impact.

With the Dutchman having now even tipped to go on to become one of the top-flight's greatest-ever defenders, as per Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, it is clear to see that Newcastle truly did strike gold with the signing of the 23-year-old.

How much is Sven Botman worth?

Now a leading presence for the northeast side, the 6 foot 4 powerhouse has come a long way since his early days at Ajax, having seen his valuation soar over the past few years.

As per Football Transfers, the towering asset was said to be valued at as little as £3m during his time on loan at Heerenveen back in 2019, although his valuation is now as high as £41m, marking an increase of roughly 1,266% in the space of four years.

It would appear that the centre-back's asking price will only rise even further such has been his "incredible impact" on the team, as per pundit Leon Osman, albeit with the St James' Park outfit unlikely to be contemplating an exit any time soon.

Having fought off rival interest from AC Milan in order to sign Botman, the emerging sensation is now rewarding the club's faith with his dominant defensive displays, having helped to keep ten clean sheets in his 29 league outings, while also winning a solid 66% of his total duels in the time.

With the £90k-per-week giant looking like a player that both Newcastle and Howe can rely on for years to come, PIF's £35m investment will only go on to appear even more astute in future.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Son Heung-min has been hailed by his teammate Harry Kane after he scored his 100th Premier League goal on the weekend.

How did Son reach his 100th Premier League goal?

It was an afternoon filled with controversy in north London on Saturday as Brighton & Hove Albion tasted defeat at the hands of Spurs.

But many will argue the Seagulls' defeat also came at the hands of the officials with a number of VAR decisions going against Roberto De Zerbi's side.

Indeed, the PGMOL issued an apology to the Italian and his side the following morning after admitting Brighton should have been awarded a penalty in the second half.

And the controversy has perhaps overshadowed Son's achievement of becoming the first-ever Asian player to have netted 100 league goals in the Premier League.

The 30-year-old hit the achievement in style with a stunning curling effort from outside the box which left Sam Steele with no chance in the Brighton goal.

On the back of becoming both Tottenham and England's all-time record goalscorer, Kane spoke highly of his South Korean colleague on hitting the landmark:

“He's an unbelievable player, and what a goal to do it,” Kane told the club website.

“I’m extremely proud of him, we’ve known each other for a long time now and I’ve been there to see all of his goals."

“He just brings a good energy around the training ground, even when things aren’t going so well, you can count on him to get everyone going. On the pitch, the way he presses, the way he runs with the ball, he’s such an exciting player."

Is Son still good enough for Spurs?

It has been a hugely underwhelming campaign for last season's Golden Boot winner, Son, who has only been able to return seven goals in the league thus far (via Transfermarkt).

Kane endured his own struggles in front of goal for a large part of the 2021/22 campaign and Spurs were helped by the South Korean taking on a lot of the responsibility and ending the campaign with 23 in the league.

However, this season has seen Kane carry Spurs for large parts of the season with the likes of Son and Dejan Kulusevski not exactly pulling their weight in front of goal.

But the goal on the weekend from the South Korean was vintage Son and could provide fans with some optimism that he can get back to his usual self over the coming weeks.

It is not just the South Korean's goals which are down on last season, he has also provided fewer take-ons and progressive carries per 90 minutes (via FBref).

Perhaps there is something to be considered in the fact Kulusevski has also struggled this season and a new permanent manager could resolve the issues over the summer.

He certainly has the backing of the club's highest-ever goalscorer and there are some huge games ahead of Spurs where he could potentially turn his season around.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is unlikely to make a decision on his future in north London before the end of the current campaign.

How long does Harry Kane have left on his contract?

The 29-year-old is now nearing the final year of his contract in north London which could leave Spurs vulnerable this summer if there are teams interested in the striker.

There is a belief Manchester United are eyeing the England captain as their number one target for the summer with Erik ten Hag leading that pursuit.

Reports earlier in the year had suggested the striker was open to the idea of putting pen to paper on a new deal to extend his stay at his boyhood club.

However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has now claimed no decision is likely to be made before the summer on Kane's end of the deal:

(45:10) "Everything I kind of was hearing from people around him a couple of weeks back was more kind of just focus on the now, let's get this done. And then we'll kind of have a look and obviously see what Spurs offer and all that sort of stuff as well."

Could Harry Kane leave Spurs this summer?

Tottenham's recent disappointment in the FA Cup and Champions League did feel like a potential setback in their bid to keep their starman at the club for next season.

Spurs' trophy drought has meant the England captain is still yet to get his hands on a piece of silverware with the north London side.

But there may be serious question marks as to who would be in the market for Kane in the summer given his age and his expected price tag.

Manchester United have been mentioned as a seriously interested party with Bayern Munich also believed to be in the market for the 29-year-old.

However, whether Kane would be willing to move to another country is a massive question and whether he would be keen to uproot and move up north two years on from his proposed move to Manchester City is also up for debate.

And it seems as if Spurs fans could be in for a summer of speculation if Kane does not surprise them by signing a new deal before the end of the summer.

From the player's side of things, waiting until the summer is probably his best option with Spurs by no means a guarantee to qualify for the Champions League next season.

It has to be said this could also be the case of United who only sit two points ahead of Tottenham in the table – albeit with a game in hand – but the clubs are set to play each other next month.

A lot could still unfold in the remaining games of this Premier League campaign and it will be interesting to see how it could affect Kane's future in north London.

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is ‘expected to leave’ the club in the summer transfer window, according to The Athletic journalist Andy Jones.

The Lowdown: Keita awful at Palace

The 28-year-old was handed a start away to Crystal Palace last weekend, as he looked to show Jurgen Klopp that he is worth persevering with beyond this summer.

Instead, Keita produced an awful first-half showing, losing the ball seven times, losing ten out of 12 total duels, picking up a yellow card and committing four fouls (Sofascore).

It led to Klopp substituting the Guinean at half-time, presumably because a sending-off seemed so likely, in what was the latest disappointing showing from him.

The Latest: Summer exit expected

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic‘s Jones focused on Keita’s woeful display at Selhurst Park, adding that he is likely to move on at the end of the season:

“Not for the first time, a night & performance to forget for Naby Keita. Klopp had no option but to take the midfielder off at HT.

“Unlikely to be his last #LFC performance, but expected to leave in the summer, it’s tough to see how he starts many more.”

The Verdict: More disappointment

There is no denying that Keita has ultimately underwhelmed in a Liverpool shirt, having arrived with such great expectations back in the summer of 2018.

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A constant stream of injuries have clearly played a big role in the midfielder’s struggles, affording him only 129 appearances in nearly five seasons, but his overall performances have also lacked consistency and influence.

That’s not to say that Keita hasn’t contributed to Liverpool’s great success in recent years, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup, among other trophies, but he should indeed go when his contract expires this summer.

Virgil van Dijk once hailed his teammate as a ‘world-class’ player but he hasn’t performed like that for some time now and he has been a rare flop in the Klopp era.

Everton play host to Leeds United at Goodison Park in their must-win Premier League clash this afternoon, and Sean Dyche will be hoping that his team can show some resilience to get back on track in their fight against relegation after another disappointing defeat at Anfield earlier this week.

The Toffees are currently 18th in the table, just one point and one place behind today’s opponents, so taking all three points in front of their home support could be absolutely crucial to their chances of top-flight survival at the end of the season.

In terms of injuries, the newly-appointed manager will go into his third fixture without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who continues his struggle with a hamstring injury, whilst Nathan Patterson and James Garner are set for late fitness tests.

Dyche confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that the two returnees would feature for the U21s this week, and while they potentially could be available, they are unlikely to feature.

The Everton boss stated: “A couple of the lads will play tomorrow, which I am going to watch. Jimmy will play tomorrow, and Pato (Nathan Patterson) will play as well. So I will get over and watch them for the first time.”

“They are not there yet, but they have been on the grass with us. Next is to put it into game practice.”

As a result, this is how Football FanCast expects Everton to line up against Leeds this afternoon…

Jordan Pickford (GK); Seamus Coleman (RB), James Tarkowski (CB), Conor Coady (CB), Ben Godfrey (LB); Alex Iwobi (RM), Idrissa Gueye (CM), Amadou Onana (CM), Dwight McNeil (LM); Neal Maupay (ST), Ellis Simms (ST)

We expect Dyche to make two changes to the team which lost in the Merseyside derby last Monday, opting for a 4-4-2 formation to deal with Leeds’ attacking threat.

The first change we predict is in the back line, with Ben Godfrey replacing Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left flank alongside an otherwise unchanged defensive setup with James Tarkowski, Conor Coady and Seamus Coleman.

As was discussed on Football FanCast recently, dropping the £58k-per-week Ukrainian could be a wise tweak for Dyche, as the 23-year-old has struggled to be an effective presence over the last two games. He was dribbled past four times against Arsenal and another three times against Liverpool, proving all too easy for opponents to beat.

The second and final change we expect to see is the bold decision from the Everton boss to play two strikers, as he often did at Burnley, with Neal Maupay – hailed as “unique” by his former Brighton boss Graham Potter – joining academy graduate Ellis Simms up front to give the Merseysiders their best chance at converting chances in front of goal. That duly sees Abdoulaye Doucoure sacrificed from the midfield.

Today’s clash against managerless Leeds represents a huge opportunity for Everton to climb out of the relegation zone and try to put some distance between themselves and danger territory, and it is set to be Dyche’s most crucial challenge yet in his short time at Goodison Park.