Alious
Everton head into their daunting Premier League clash with Arsenal facing a growing injury and availability crisis, with up to seven first-team players either ruled out or unlikely to feature. David Moyes is already guaranteed to be without six names, while another key figure remains a major doubt ahead of Saturday night’s contest.
Since replacing Sean Dyche, Moyes has overseen a remarkable upturn in fortunes on Merseyside, with Everton now harbouring realistic ambitions of a top-half finish. But maintaining that momentum will be severely tested by a visit from title-chasing Arsenal — especially with such a depleted squad.
Grealish Doubt Adds to Everton Woes
One of the biggest concerns surrounds Jack Grealish, who has made an immediate impact since arriving on loan from Manchester City in the summer. The England international has quickly become central to Moyes’ plans, registering two goals and four assists across 15 league appearances.
However, his involvement against Arsenal is far from certain. Injury specialist Ben Dinnery, speaking via *Premier Injuries*, has rated Grealish’s chances of featuring at just 50 per cent. The 30-year-old is struggling with a hamstring issue and will need to prove his fitness in the coming days if he is to be cleared to face the Gunners.
Everton are already confirmed to be without Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye, both of whom are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, four more players — Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite, Merlin Rohl and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall — have been officially ruled out through injury.
Moyes Faces Tactical Puzzle
The potential absence of Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall is particularly damaging, with both players starting in Everton’s recent 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. Combined with the unavailability of Gueye and Ndiaye, Moyes faces a significant selection headache as he prepares for one of the toughest fixtures of the season.
In response, the Everton boss may be forced to reshuffle, with players such as Beto, Tyler Dibling, Charly Alcaraz and possibly Tim Iroegbunam expected to step in. There is also a strong possibility Moyes opts for a more cautious tactical approach, potentially deploying a compact 4-5-1 formation designed to frustrate Arsenal and exploit counter-attacking opportunities.
That strategy almost paid dividends for Wolves last weekend, as they pushed Arsenal close despite their own struggles. Whether Everton can replicate that success — and harness the backing of their home crowd — remains to be seen as they aim to defy the odds on Saturday night.
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