Dugout Discussion

Rodriguez returns to Everton line-up as Greenwood misses out for Manchester United

James Rodriguez (£7.9m) is back in the Everton starting line-up after missing the past two gameweeks through injury.

The Colombian has so far racked up 34 points in three home games, including one 18-point haul against Brighton in Gameweek 4.

Rodriguez is set to operate on the right of a front three for the Toffees, with Bernard (£5.8m) playing from the left in the absence of the suspended Richarlison (£7.8m).

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m), fresh from an overnight price rise, leads the line for Everton.

Seamus Coleman (£4.9m) is another injury returnee at right-back, while Lucas Digne (£6.1m) resumes his place on the other side of defence following a reduced one-game ban.

The fit-again Mason Holgate (£4.8m) is preferred at centre-back over Yerry Mina (£5.5m). Jordan Pickford (£5.0m) returns between the sticks for the Toffees, having been dropped in favour of Robin Olsen (£4.5m) in Gameweek 7.

Ancelotti made it clear in is pre-match press conference yesterday that Pickford would come back into the Everton XI.

On the pitch he [Pickford] has to be focused on what he’s doing. He has to know where his quality is. He knows what to do tomorrow. His mentality is good, I don’t want to change it.

I think sometimes he made mistakes because he thought too much. He has to use his instinct more, which is really good. – Carlo Ancelotti

Anthony Martial (£8.7m), back from a three-game suspension, begins up front for Manchester United.

Mason Greenwood (£7.2m) is absent from the Red Devils’ matchday squad so Juan Mata (£5.9m) earns a start in attacking midfield.

The Spaniard could play from the right or centrally, potentially interchanging with Bruno Fernandes (£10.5m), while Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) looks set to face off against Coleman from his usual left-side attacking berth.

Alex Telles (£5.5m) is back in training but does not make the 18, while Paul Pogba (£7.8m) is on the United bench.

Victor Lindelof (£4.9m) has recovered from a back injury to take up his spot in central defence beside Harry Maguire (£5.4m).

Victor is feeling okay in his back, hopefully he can last the game because he has had trouble with it. The energy of Scott McTominay and Fred after not playing this midweek [in the Champions League] will help us. – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

On Richarlison, who will return for the Toffees’ sweet clash away to Fulham in GW9, Ancelotti said last night:

it is impossible to replace Richarlison. There is no player in the world like Richarlison. So we have to replace him with another player with different quality.

We have to change a little bit our style of play without Richarlison, but the defeat [against Newcastle] was not because Richarlison was not there. It was because we did not play well. Simple.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, was full of praise for the Everton manager when quizzed by BT Sport on his decision to join the Merseyside outfit.

I needed to play under a coach who knows me; how I behave on and off the pitch. Carlo was exactly what I needed for coming to this club.

It was because of both reasons [Carlo and the club] that I moved here. They trusted me when no one else did. I;ll be forever grateful to the club and to Carlo. – James Rodriguez

Everton XI (4-3-3): Pickford; Digne, Keane, Holgate, Coleman; Sigurdsson, Allan, Doucouré; Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez.

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Fred, McTominay; Rashford, B Fernandes, Mata; Martial.

1,173 Comments Post a Comment
  1. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Iwobi coming on get Siggy off

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      At last the manager sees sense

  2. Hulk Smash
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Everyone wanting penalties even when tackles take the ball first. Lascelles last night and Maguire today. Surely such people have never played football themselves.

    Even Walcott said after the game last night that the Lascelles tackle was never a pen.

    1. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      That’s a horrible take.

      Both are terrible tackles which are a foul and a card anywhere else on the pitch. It doesn’t matter if you touch the ball while destroying the opposition.

      It’s the complete lack of consistency in decisions which are endangering players

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        "Destroying the opposition"? What on earth are you talking about. Neither player suffered any injury, both continued playing, neither challenge was off the ground or two footed and even the tackled player (Walcott) said it wasn't a pen.

        Have you ever played 11 a side football?

  3. Nightcrawler
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno fernandes has the most punchable face

    Fits right in at united

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Germ and worm come to mind

  4. Sean
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Dirty from maguire, he knew DCL was offside and used it to try get a cheap shot in, rules need to be changed

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      'Cheap shot'

      He took the ball

      1. Third Eye Vision
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        The whole ‘touching the ball first’ thing got phased out yeeeeeaaars ago.

        Get used to it. It’s the not the sport it used to be.

        1. Hulk Smash
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 11 months ago

          That's news to me. If true then slide tackles are de facto banned as it's physically impossible in 9 out of 10 cases to take the ball without taking some of the man too. Nonsense.

  5. Reeker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Finally James can hit some balls into the area

  6. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    James in Pens 😎

    1. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      On*

  7. Egg noodle
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Richarlison must be an enigma. Everton are still winless without Richarlison ever since he joined the club

    1. Reeker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      To be fair we haven't won a lot of games full stop since he joined.

    2. Third Eye Vision
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      He’s easily Everton’s most important player. They didn’t turn down a £100 million offer for nothing.

  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Martial looking angry

  9. Lukakuna
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    The last lawless place on earth seems to be after an offside in the premier league

    1. Reeker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      International waters when that whistle blows.

      1. Reeker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        Well when the flag goes up and before the whistle blows

  10. have you seen cyan
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Everton to win the league? Looks to me like they are cruising to their standard 8th/9th place finish.

    1. how now brown cow
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Very much so. Good on their day but rarely lasts.

      Ancelotti will do very well to get them top 6.

    2. Zimo
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Its someone else every other week. I think chelsea might sneak it tho

    3. Third Eye Vision
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      The only people who talked that kind of nonsense would be lazy journalists or pundits.

      No Everton fan over the age of 8 thought it would last.

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        Irbox says hi 😀

  11. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    CRYSTAL PALACE TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Leeds: Guaita, Van Aanholt, Dann, Kouyate, Clyne, Riedewald, McArthur, Townsend, Eze, Zaha, Ayew.
    Subs: Butland, Sakho, Schlupp, Benteke, McCarthy, Batshuayi, Cahill.

    LEEDS TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Crystal Palace: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Struijk, Cooper, Alioski, Dallas, Harrison, Klich, Costa, Bamford.
    Subs: Casilla, Poveda, Roberts, Raphinha, Davis, Jenkins, Casey.

    1. fr3d
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      All the big casual picks start

      1. Lukakuna
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        Yeah man, you're not a pro unless you've got Saiss, Mitchell, Greenwood and James

    2. SAUCY SALAH
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Another cross/goal please Dallas

    3. SAUCY SALAH
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Looks like Dallas in midfield?

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        Should be a 343, so probably wingback.

    4. mookie
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Ayling CB? Alioski OOP?

  12. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    LEEDS : Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Struijk, Cooper, Alioski, Dallas, Harrison, Klich, Costa, Bamford.
    Subs: Casilla, Poveda, Roberts, Raphinha, Davis, Jenkins, Casey.

  13. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Aaaaand Shaw's injured again

  14. One More Hit
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    39 from 5 as it stands, if (somehow on God’s green earth) Kane and Son do nothing, I may just make the cup yet.

    Are the EO figures for the Spurs lads out yet?

  15. Pukki Blinders
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Sick of seeing Bernard crying every 5 minutes like a baby

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      And you are ok watch that whining little scumbag Bruno do the same

  16. The Train Driver
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Struijk in starting XI and on bench...

    1. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Schrödinger's Struijk?

  17. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno should be off

    1. Zimo
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      If keane wasn't off for kicking martial in the face first half i don't see why he should be

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      Agreed, rested for WBA 😎

    3. MagicMessi
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      No one cares because they are united fans and Bruno owners

  18. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    How did that not get reviewed???

  19. Flair
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Enjoyable game

  20. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno stop scaring me

  21. how now brown cow
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Hamez picks out Digne with some lovely passes

  22. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Rashford big miss one on one

  23. Flair
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    THAT'S A RED WTF

  24. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno with a clear 2nd yellow offence there.. should have been sent off. #protected

  25. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno RC waiting to happen

  26. Nightcrawler
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    The commentary couldnt be more pro united

    Bruno rolls around every chance he gets...ignored

    Allan does the same after bruno tackle.. ..omg the theatrics are getting out of hand

    1. Third Eye Vision
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      It’s anti-Everton rather than pro-United.

  27. Ha.
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    I got laughed at for suggesting Fernandes over Ziyech

    Never change, FFS

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      As far as I know Ziyech hasn't played yet 😉

      1. Ha.
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 11 months ago

        Doesn’t really matter. The two performing are not mutually exclusive...

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      A fair algorithms were predicting Fernandes to do well.

  28. dark91
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    English refereeing never fails to amaze me. So poor

    1. I'm out of name ideas
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 11 months ago

      They do a very difficult job, very badly.

  29. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Rashford blasts it at Pickford

  30. Bruce Lee
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno pen surely incoming

    Destiny