Everton return to action at Hull City on Sunday after a three-week absence due to the extended international break, unbeaten after seven matches in all competitions so far this season.
A chaotic deadline day left the Blues with just 18 outfield players, but they have beaten Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, drawn with Bournemouth, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, plus advanced past Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.
Mykolenko fitness latest
Vitalii Mykolenko has to be a doubt for Sunday. David Moyes will surely be asked about this in his pre-match press conference, but even then, he could play his cards close to his chest.
Mykolenko won his 55th cap for Ukraine as he played the entire game in their 1-0 UEFA Nations League B away win over Hungary at the Puskas Arena, Budapest, on September 25, but he was then absent for the last three matches with an unspecified injury.
After he missed the goalless draw in Georgia, Ukrainian news outlet UNN reported national team coach Andrea Maldara as saying in his pre-match press conference to preview their 3-0 defeat in Northern Ireland: “Unfortunately, we cannot count on Mykolenko, he is not feeling very well. We do not want him to suffer an even more serious injury.”
Mykolenko remains a key figure as Everton's only recognised left-back and has played every minute so far this season, so he will be given every chance to prove his fitness. If he doesn't make it, James Garner would be preferred to deputise over Jarrad Branthwaite, who was restricted to just 10 outings last season due to hamstring problems.
Midfield selection debate
On midfield, when everyone is fit, on reputation, Christian Norgaard should be in there alongside Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. However, others have stolen a march during his absence.
Norgaard only played 101 minutes of Premier League football for Arsenal last season, so he might have to wait his turn. Harrison Armstrong has shown just how at home he is at this level and, despite almost being sold to Nottingham Forest ahead of the transfer deadline, the home-grown hero has emerged as one of Everton's main men so far this term.
Manchester City sanctions
On Manchester City, the view is that Everton were very harshly done by. Even though the Premier League wanted to punish them even more severely, their initial 10-point deduction was the biggest sporting sanction in English top flight history until it was reduced to four points on appeal for a single PSR breach.
Manchester City's sanctions need to be forward facing. The owners need to be removed from the club and banned for life from football, and City should be placed in League Two. A single season out of the Premier League is not sufficient for the magnitude of their cheating.
There is also support for stripping them of all honours won over the period in question, but if that happens, they should not be handed to the respective runners-up. Instead, they should be left blank for those years, as having no champion sends a far more powerful message.
Richarlison return talk
Richarlison seemed to have a chance of returning, especially if Manchester City hadn't come in for Iliman Ndiaye and the Senegal international had chosen to go to Tottenham Hotspur instead. Ultimately though, the former Goodison Park favourite couldn't agree personal terms.
Once the English transfer window had shut, the same went for a proposed move to Trabzonspor in Turkey and then a return to Brazil with Vasco da Gama, leaving Richarlison in football purgatory. He should be desperate to get playing again and Everton are desperate for another striker, but personally the Richarlison ship sailed a long time ago.
Everton's recruitment team should be scouring South America looking for the next Richarlison who is still yet to hit the big time, not looking backwards again.
