Everton manager David Moyes has a selection to make in attack ahead of their trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back from a hamstring injury sustained in January, and made his return off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town last weekend.
However, since Beto took over as first-choice striker in his absence, the Guinea-Bissau international has taken his opportunity, scoring seven goals in 2025 alone.
That tally is higher than any Everton player managed in the whole of 2024, when Calvert-Lewin was top scorer with six, but it seems as though the former England international will be the man the club will stick by, after news of a potential new contract broke last week.
Former Fulham man Armando Broja is unlikely to challenge Beto or Calvert-Lewin for a start, after failing to make an impact in his loan spell from Chelsea, while fellow loanees Jesper Lindstrom and Orel Mangala are out for the rest of the season.
Abdoulaye Doucoure was missing from the matchday squad a week ago due to a personal issue, and his absence was noticeable again, as Everton failed to see out a two-goal lead for the fourth time this season.
Since joining the club in 2020, when Doucoure has not featured, Everton’s record reads four wins, 16 draws and 21 defeats, suggesting it could be a big mistake to let him leave for free this summer.
Carlos Alcaraz was the man who replaced Doucoure in the side, and performed well, setting up Beto’s goal with a wonderful in-swinging delivery, and the Argentine is likely to make his move from Flamengo permanent over the summer.
The sorely-missed Dwight McNeil also made his first start since early December last week, and marked his 100th appearance for the club with a goal from outside the area, and he is set to keep his place on the right-hand side.
It was a less than satisfactory afternoon for Nathan Patterson though, as the Scottish right-back failed to impress once again with Jake O’Brien filling in at centre-back for the injured James Tarkowski, so Ashley Young could be preferred, with it looking likely Seamus Coleman is being held back to ensure he is fit to feature in the Goodison Park farewell next week.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Young, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; McNeil, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto
Click here to see how Fulham could line up at the Cottage.
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