As the appetizer to the mouth-watering Manchester derby set later in the day, Everton’s clash with West Ham United has drawn far less interest than it might have done on a different day.
After all, there are numerous storylines intertwined within the clash, as David Moyes once again faces his former employers, aided by the likes of Kurt Zouma, who enjoyed a fine season on loan with the Toffees, and Mohammed Kudus, who nearly made the move to Goodison Park in 2022.
And yet, there is little expectation that the visitors will upset the Hammers, given the two sides’ respective starts to the campaign.
Sean Dyche will seek to shift that narrative quickly, with a few key changes he might want to employ to hand his side the best chance of claiming a result.
Given Everton has averaged just 43.2% possession in the Premier League this term, it would be easy to assume that the Irons will dominate. However, given they have instead managed just 37.9%, an intriguing dynamic forms.
Perhaps the Merseyside outfit can forego some of their hard-working stars in favour of a more technically proficient alternative, given they are seemingly set to enjoy more of the ball.
Therefore, perhaps it could mark a bold but brilliant option to finally start Arnaut Danjuma, then later rely on Jack Harrison to come on and put a shift in for the final portion of the match.
How good is Jack Harrison?
Although the 26-year-old has enjoyed a fine start to life at Goodison Park, despite the injury-hit circumstances he initially moved in, there is an argument to be made for his absence today.
Not least to ease the physical burden being placed on him, having started three of their last four games in all competitions, and playing half of the other, enjoying no slow reintegration following his injury.
Whilst his goal and assist against AFC Bournemouth showcased the attacking quality of the £90k-per-week whiz, it is his work rate that has really endeared him to Evertonians, averaging 1.7 tackles and 4.3 ball recoveries per game in the league, via Sofascore.
After all, journalist Joe Thomas did outline this, writing on Twitter during his debut: ‘Jack Harrison showing no signs of rustiness at all here. He is relentless on his debut, giving Pau Torres nightmares in this first half.’
Whilst Danjuma might not offer that, his performances in the 2021/22 campaign provided a glimpse of his talent, which could now be unleashed in a game where they might shockingly dominate possession.
His tally of 16 goals and four assists across all competitions for Villarreal, including important strikes in the Champions League, showcased the pedigree the 26-year-old boasts.
Perhaps, alongside the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure, their combined goal threat could help terrorise West Ham’s backline with a number of potent finishers, with Harrison then left fresh for the midweek cup clash.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
