Everton travel to St Mary’s Stadium to face Southampton in their 8th game of the Premier League season. The toffees go into this fixture off the back of picking up their first win of the new campaign, at home to West Ham United, with Neal Maupay scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.
Southampton come into the game off of back-to-back 1-0 losses to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa. They currently sit 14th in the table, only behind Everton on goal difference.
In his pre-match interview, Frank Lampard gave an update on a few players and how the squad would be affected ahead of the trip to St Mary’s.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is yet to make an appearance for Everton this season, after picking up an injury in training before the start of the season. When Lampard was asked whether Calvert-Lewin might be in contention to start, he answered:
“We’re considering it. Dominic will be looking to make sure he comes back in the best fitness and strength for us”. [via Everton Football Club – YouTube]
Neal Maupay was signed from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer as a backup to Calvert- Lewin and scored in his 2nd start for the blues against West Ham United.
Jordan Pickford looks set to return to the line-up after picking up an injury in the Merseyside Derby. The England International was sidelined for the Blues’ 1-0 win over West Ham, with 2nd choice Asmir Begovic getting his first start of the new season, and his first clean sheet. Pickford, however, seems to have returned to training faster than expected, and looks set to start away at Southampton.
The midfield trio of Amadou Onana, Alex Iwobi and Idrissa Gana Gueye were all in action over the international break, making appearances for their national sides, With Alex Iwobi even grabbing a goal in Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Algeria’s home-based team. It does not seem like any of the 3 will lose their places in the starting lineup, due to their impressive displays recently. Lampard has confirmed, however, that Tom Davies, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Garner are all fit and in contention for the squad to face Southampton.
Nathan Patterson was called up to the Scottish national team by Steve Clarke for their Nations League fixtures against Ireland and Ukraine. The 20-year-old picked up an injury during Scotland’s clash with Ukraine and had to be stretchered off. Seamus Coleman, who was on international duty with Ireland during the break, is likely to start in his place.
Lampard also reaffirmed his belief in Conor Coady and James Tarkowski as Everton’s centre-back partnership going forward, stating that he saw them as “two captains” and that they provided the “solid base we were looking for in the team” [via Everton Football Club – YouTube]
What are your pre-match thoughts?
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