The Blues move on from 5 successive home games to make the journey down south to face Tottenham Hotspur in what could be a crucial game in the chase for the European spots.
Team News
David Moyes will still be missing key players Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar through their last game in suspension. Tony Hibbert is still the long term absentee and there is a doubt over last weeks scorer Kevin Mirallas, who came off against Stoke with a groin injury.
Last week Moyes opted to replace Fellaini and Pienaar with Nikica Jelavic and Phil Jagielka to switch to a 3-5-2 formation. It would be a surprise if he were to continue this formation given the difference in sides between Stoke and this weeks opponent, Spurs. Expect Steven Naismith to come in on one of the wings. If the formation is changed, it means one of central defenders Heitinga, Jagielka or Distin could be dropped.
Dutchman John Heitinga could face the drop to the substitutes bench.
Andre Villas Boas has injury problems ahead of the tie. The midweek European game against FC Basel saw centre-back William Gallas, wingers Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale all taken off with injuries that will keep them out for a few weeks. Jermain Defoe had already been ruled out. There is a little bit of good news for Spurs’ Portuguese manager, as Hugo Lloris is available after returning from a knee injury.
Threats
Up until the midweek game this was obvious, in Gareth Bale. With Bale gone the pace comes from Lennon but this has also gone. The threats now come from Gylfi Sigurðsson and Lewis Holtby, who have both been in and out of the team this season and will surely be playing to keep the places they will be handed this week. Holtby, an Everton fan, has been awaiting a fixture for or against the Toffees for his entire life and will be at the top of his game.
Lewis Holtby is an Evertonian, we’ll see just how much he is by how he plays against us.
Tottenham Hotspur Forum
W (Inter Milan) – L (Liverpool) – L (Inter Milan) – L (Fulham) – W (Swansea) – D (FC Basel)
Everton Form
L (Norwich) – W (Oldham) – W (Reading) – L (Wigan) – W (Man City) – W (Stoke City)
Tottenham Predicted Line Up
Lloris
Walker Dawson Vertonghen Naughton
Parker Dembele
Holtby Dempsey Sigurðsson
Adebayor
Everton Predicted Line Up
Howard
Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines
Naismith Gibson Osman Mirallas
Anichebe Jelavic
Match Officials
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistant referee: D Bryan
Assistant referee: S Massey
Fourth official: J Moss
c’mon u spurs! no bale sandro kaboul missing need someone to bang in the goals 2 class* strikers still a priority I hope we find the target remaining games champions league? lol yid army! berserkers battalions casuals 1882 dudes posse outlaws north london spooks ghost town lol.