Scout Notes – Europa League – Thursday

Arsenal labour to a draw that sees them into the Europa League knockout stages with two matches to spare, but Everton crash out after a fifth straight defeat in all competitions.

Here are the notes from Thursday’s European action.

Same old result from much-changed Everton

Everton started with three defensive midfielders and no recognised striker in Lyon as they departed this season’s Europa League with two group matches still to play.

Of the team’s five most popular players in Fantasy Premier League, only goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (6.8%) even travelled to France as caretaker manager David Unsworth elected to field a makeshift back four and Gylfi Sigurdsson as a ‘false nine’.

The resultant 3-0 defeat was actually a touch harsh on his troops, who were enjoying a measure of control over the tie before conceding an unlucky opener in the 68th minute.

What little confidence they had accrued then drained from the side and they finished the match well beaten and adrift at the bottom of the Group E table, with just one point from four fixtures.

Wayne Rooney (10.1%), Leighton Baines (5.2%) and Phil Jagielka (3.3%) were given the night off, while Michael Keane (6.4%) also didn’t travel as he continues to recover from an infection following a foot injury.

Jonjoe Kenny (4.3) started his fourth match in all competitions at right-back, but his budget allure remains negligible in a side that hasn’t kept a league clean sheet since Gameweek 1.

On the other flank, Cuco Martina endured a torrid evening. He was booked early and then left the field on a stretcher after falling awkwardly on his back.

The ex-Southampton man was at least well enough to be released from hospital to travel back with the squad, however.

Morgan Schneiderlin was dismissed for two yellow cards late on, while Sigurdsson’s Everton nightmare continued as he struggled to make his mark as the side’s nominal striker.

And even when Dominic Calvert-Lewin (5.0) – seen by some as a budget third forward option – came on to allow the Icelander to drop into a more familiar No 10 role, the former Swansea City star had minimal impact on a match that quickly got away from the Toffees once their goal had been breached for the first time.

Unsworth spoke post-match of Sunday’s visit from Watford being a huge match for his chances of taking the Everton role on a permanent basis, and he would have been encouraged by the resolve shown by his players last night.

But the squad remains toothless up front and vulnerable at the back – a toxic combination that discourages Fantasy investment regardless of the club’s schedule.

All last night’s result did was arguably boost our confidence in Watford’s main attackers ahead of that Goodison clash, with Richarlison owners confident of a haul on Sunday.

Everton still have two Europa League dead rubbers to play, sandwiched between trips to Crystal Palace and Southampton later this month and a visit from Huddersfield and a Merseyside derby at Anfield in early December.

Arsenal through despite stalemate

Arsene Wenger’s policy of using the Europa League to field fringe players and blood youngsters continued in a 0-0 draw at home to Red Star Belgrade that took the Gunners through to next year’s knockout stages after just four matches.

The tie had little Fantasy relevance, with perhaps only Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott likely to see much Premier League action in the foreseeable future.

Giroud was the Gunners’ chief goal threat, firing four attempts, with two on target, but failed to find the net and is set to remain behind Alexandre Lacazette in the pecking order up front.

The visitors were lively throughout and spurned two excellent chances to score, while Wilshere had Arsenal’s best opportunity, only to see his goal-bound effort athletically cleared.

The Gunners will win Group H if they can pick up three points from their last two fixtures.

The first attempt will come between the north London derby and a trip to Burnley in mid-November, while the final group match is sandwiched by league commitments at home to Man United and away at Southampton early next month.

Based on Wenger’s selection policy to date, neither tie will throw up many rotation issues for Fantasy managers with key Arsenal assets in their squads.