Key events
There’s another late midweek kick-off for Everton fans to navigate tonight. Andy Hunter reports on teething problems at their new home …
Sunderland are without keeper Robin Roefswho misses his first Premier League game this season due to an injury. Melker Ellborg makes his debut in goal, while Granit Xhaka is on the bench after starting against Bournemouth. For Leeds, James Justin and Joe Rodon are both fit to start in defence after picking up knocks in Saturday’s defeat to Manchester City.
Will Unwin
Pre-game thoughts from our man at Everton-Burnley …
double quotation mark If ever there was a game that could get a team’s home form back on track, a visit from Burnley would be high on the list. The Clarets are heading back to the Championship, while Everton are hoping to get into Europe but have not won on home soil in the Premier League since 6 December. They really need a victory here to boost their ambitions to be playing continental football next season.
double quotation mark Dwight McNeil shone in the victory at Newcastle and keeps his place in the starting lineup here against his former club. David Moyes was happy to sell him in January but the shambles at Crystal Palace meant he stayed at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. His endeavour and work rate have never been in question but rarely has he put a run of goals and assists together while in blue. It will be interesting to see if he can build on what he showed at St James’ Park.
Everton v Burnley teams
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Beto.
Subs: Travers, Patterson, Keane, Barry, George, Dibling, Rohl, Iroegbunam, Armstrong.
Burnley: Dubravka, Humphreys, Worrall, Esteve, Walker, Florentino, Ugochukwu, Lucas Pires, Mejbri, Anthony, Foster.
Subs: Weiss, Hartman, Bruun Larsen, Tchaouna, Ekdal, Ward-Prowse, Laurent, Barnes, McMahon-Brown.
Referee: Tim Robinson.
Bournemouth v Brentford teams
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jiménez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Adams, Scott; Rayan, Christie (c), Tavernier; Evanilson.
Subs: Mandas, Brooks, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Junior Kroupi, Unal, Toth, Milosavljevic.
Brentford (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins (c), van den Berg, Henry; Henderson, Jensen; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Yarmolyuk, Ajer, Lewis-Potter, Donovan, Furo, Bentt, Shield.
Referee: Craig Pawson. VAR: Darren England.
Leeds v Sunderland teams
Leeds (3-4-2-1): Darlow; Rodon, Struijk, Justin; Bogle, Grove, Ampadu (c), Gudmundsson; Stach , Aaronson ; Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Lucas Perri, James, Longstaff, Piroe, Nmecha, Bijol, Tanaka, Bornauw, Gnonto.
Sunderland (3-4-2-1): Ellborg; O’Nien (c), Ballard, Alderete; Geertruida, Diarra, Sadiki, Hume; Angulo, Le Fée; Mayenda.
Subs: Moore, Talbi, Rigg, Isidor, Traoré, Aleksic, Xhaka, Harrison Jones, Jenson Jones.
Referee: Stuart Attwell. VAR: Paul Tierney.
Live football is currently happening in Turkey, where England have just taken the lead against Ukraine through Alessia Russo. Follow that Women’s World Cup qualifier here:
Tuesday’s fixtures
Premier League
Bournemouth v Brentford (7.30pm, all times GMT)
Everton v Burnley (7.30pm)
Leeds v Sunderland (7.30pm)
Wolves v Liverpool (8.15pm)
FA Cup fourth round
Port Vale v Bristol City (7.45pm)
Championship
Ipswich v Hull (7.45pm)
Scottish Premiership
Dundee United v St Mirren (7.45pm)
Preamble
Tonight, a trio of northern powerhouses are looking to secure a Big Three Points in fixtures they are odds-on to win. Leeds are aiming to scramble closer to safety with victory over Sunderland, who have won two of 14 on the road this season. Heading along the M62, Everton fans will see Burnley’s visit as the perfect chance for the team to improve their patchy form at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In the later game, Liverpool head to Molineux, where victory is a must and offers the chance for Arne Slot’s side to go third. Of course, we can’t overlook the fact that rock-bottom Wolves have beaten Villa and drawn with Arsenal in their last two home games; nor should we ignore Burnley collecting four points from their last two away trips, or Sunderland picking up a point at the Vitality last time out.
Speaking of which, if anyone would care to try and predict the outcome of Bournemouth (six wins, six draws at home) v Brentford (six wins, six defeats away from home), then be my guest. Team news to follow shortly.
