Everton manager David Moyes faces several selection dilemmas for Saturday's trip to Premier League champions Arsenal after his side suffered a first defeat of the season against Chelsea. Among the key questions is whether Ainsley Maitland-Niles keeps his place at right-back against the club where he started his career.
Maitland-Niles under scrutiny
The Blues boss spent 20 months searching for a specialist right-back before landing the 29-year-old on transfer deadline day of the summer window. Maitland-Niles has featured in all six matches since signing, starting five in a row after coming off the bench to score a spectacular last-gasp equaliser against Manchester United on his debut. However, his place now comes under scrutiny after varying degrees of culpability in both Hull City's goals and Chelsea's opener.
Merlin Rohl could switch to right-back, as he did later in Saturday's game when Maitland-Niles went off, while Jake O'Brien finished the match at MKM Stadium in that position. Another option would be moving James Garner to right-back, but with Christian Norgaard looking off the pace when he came on for his long-awaited debut, such a move could leave Everton short of bite in midfield.
Defensive and midfield options
Vitalii Mykolenko was restored at left-back against Chelsea after missing the trip to Hull City. Moyes confirmed that Jarrad Branthwaite, who deputised in that position in East Yorkshire, picked up a knock and appeared to be moving gingerly at times against both Hull City and Chelsea. If Branthwaite misses out, either O'Brien or Michael Keane could step in, although the latter was absent from the squad last time out.
Central midfield remains an area of plenty of options. Despite Norgaard's difficult debut, he could still provide an alternative against his former employers, with Hayden Hackney and Charly Alcaraz also in the mix alongside incumbents Garner, Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Wide options against Arsenal
Rohl started on the right wing against Chelsea and could reprise that role as a more physical option against Mikel Arteta's side, with Jack Grealish on the opposite flank. More natural wide men are also available in Tyrique George, Tyler Dibling and Brennan Johnson, who also offers a 'Plan B' up front instead of the squad's only orthodox centre-forward, Thierno Barry.
