Dyche could unleash brilliant’ £40k-p/w Everton ace in a new role v Brighton

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Everton are back in action again today, facing their third match in just seven days as they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Goodison Park.

Whilst this usually would be a clash where fans would hold little hope, their recent upturn in form has some quietly confident of another strong showing, given they have just seen off West Ham United and Burnley most recently.

Comprehensive in their victories, it seems that at last things are going Sean Dyche’s way, which could be a trend extended to today.

However, it will not be easy, and to bypass Roberto De Zerbi’s possession-reliant style there could be a few tactical tweaks made to mitigate key threats.

Few on the visiting side are as great as Kaoru Mitoma, who has been electric down the left flank for the Seagulls with his patented trickery.

To quell his immense threat, perhaps the former Burnley boss could learn from his midweek successes and drop the 26-year-old Jack Harrison, instead opting for Ashley Young down the right wing instead.

Why should Ashley Young start vs Brighton?

Whilst it may seem a ludicrous suggestion given how the on-loan Leeds United man has starred, there is method to such a maddening idea.

Allowing the 38-year-old, who has largely operated at full-back this season, to start just in front of Nathan Patterson, would allow them to double up on the Japan international to silence the overwhelming potency that has seen him record six goal contributions already this Premier League season.

Not only that, but the former Manchester United man would not completely nullify the right flank, showcasing his penchant for a goal on Wednesday with a poacher’s finish to make it 3-0.

Combining his 1.7 tackles and 4.9 ball recoveries per game in the league with Patterson’s two and 3.7 in those respective fields, and together they could surely keep that flank on lockdown.

Within a system which will likely be starved of the ball, it would then allow the focus to remain on Dwight McNeil, seeking to deliver pinpoint deliveries to whoever is selected as striker.

Although some might question Young’s ongoing involvement, given the ageing stalwart has hardly been rock solid since joining, to place him beside his Scottish teammate could be a stroke of genius from Dyche, who was initially praised by pundit Jason Cundy for his acquisition.

He told talkSPORT (16:00 pm, 14 July): ‘Let’s give him a little bit of credit. What a career, the fact that we have got a club the size of Everton looking to sign him on a free transfer, it just pays testament to what he has done.

‘They are signing the brilliant Ashley Young’

The £40k-per-week ace is far from a winger nowadays, but perhaps returning there in a new, defensive role, he could be the key to claiming another important victory today.