With Everton seeking to end their run of three straight league defeats, things will get no easier today as they host a high-flying Aston Villa side.
Unai Emery has worked veritable miracles in Birmingham, taking a side that Steven Gerrard was steering towards relegation and inexplicably turning them into title challengers.
After all, they are just three points off that top spot, having recently claimed impressive victories over both Arsenal and Manchester City.
Well, Sean Dyche will be keen to ensure they are not added to that sprawling list, and will have to do all he can to mitigate the various threats their visitors pose.
Perhaps in an effort to gain more control in the engine room, there is one very bold tactical switch he could seek to make by trading out James Garner for a midfielder more likely to dictate the game.
Therefore, Andre Gomes marks the outstanding option to partner Amadou Onana.
Who could start for Everton over James Garner?
Although Garner has grown into a key cog for Everton this season, just a year after his initial £15m move from Manchester United, there is still plenty of development for the 22-year-old to enjoy despite his fine form.
Meanwhile, his teammate Gomes turned 30 in the summer, and has made a storming return from injury in recent weeks that has surely merited a Premier League start.
Against Tottenham Hotspur, in which the Portuguese maestro came on with just 11 minutes of regulation time to play, the former Barcelona ace shone as he created chances, controlled the game and even halved the deficit with a thunderous finish.
When on form, he is unstoppable, and alongside Onana the two could strike up a fine partnership to rival that of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz.
Such a notion is only emphasised by the praise showered onto him by journalist Zach Lowy, who would laud his loan spell with LOSC Lille by writing: ‘Another exceptional performance from André Gomes in Lille’s midfield today. Some lovely switches to break down Brest’s defense, constantly playing it forward and putting in some fine last-ditch tackles to retain possession. The metronome of Les Dogues.’
Meanwhile, although Garner has been known to produce some ‘magic’, as outlined by another journalist in George Smith, he is far more raw and lacks the refinery that could prove important.
From the bench, he could enjoy just as great an impact too, with his unrivalled energy enough to turn any game on its head.
Although it might come across as a bold move from Dyche, it might just prove the perfect one to upset Villa’s rhythm.
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