Everton face Premier League rivals Newcastle United at Murrayfield in Edinburgh this evening, with pre-season about to get serious just 10 days before their league opener at home to Crystal Palace. After a win over Hamburg and a defeat to Stuttgart in Germany, the Blues' writers have picked the teams they would select.
Joe Thomas's team
Joe Thomas would rest Jarrad Branthwaite and Hayden Hackney to manage their workloads, noting Branthwaite's concern about monitoring his minutes. He would move Jake O'Brien to centre back, pairing him with James Tarkowski, and start Adam Aznou and Nathan Patterson at full back to add attacking threat.
In midfield, Thomas would field Merlin Rohl and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall either side of Harrison Armstrong, with Iliman Ndiaye and Tyler Dibling supporting Thierno Barry up front. His team (4-3-3): Travers; Patterson, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Aznou; Dewsbury-Hall, Armstrong, Rohl; Ndiaye, Barry, Dibling.
Chris Beesley's team
Chris Beesley would keep Jordan Pickford on the bench, judging the game may come too soon after his post-World Cup break, and start Mark Travers in goal. He would keep O'Brien at centre back, with Merlin Rohl at right back and Tarkowski restored alongside O'Brien.
Beesley would play Harrison Armstrong and Hayden Hackney in deeper midfield roles, with Dewsbury-Hall ahead of them. He would rotate the wide areas, starting Tyrique George on the left and Ndiaye on the right, with Thierno Barry replacing Beto up front. His team (4-2-3-1): Travers; Rohl, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Mykolenko; Armstrong, Hackney; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.
