Sean Dyche faces a decision on whether to include Nathan Patterson in his Everton squad for today’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.
The Toffees go in search of their first league win after picking up just one point in five games. Injury and unavailability have been an issue in the formative stage of the campaign but Everton are poised to welcome back three players from last week’s 1-1 draw at Leicester City.
Jarrad Branthwaite is set to be on the bench, at a minimum. The centre-back was one of the Blues’ best players last term and was the subject of interest from Manchester United in the summer transfer window. Branthwaite had groin surgery at the start of the summer but had some setbacks in his recovery. But after playing 90 minutes for the under-21s in a 4-3 win over Sunderland, he’s ready to return to the first team.
Vitalii Mykolenko is back after missing two games with illness. Meanwhile, Idrissa Gana Gueye is again available after the passing of his father. Dyche did warn Gueye may be slightly short of fitness after travelling back to Senegal.
But Patterson is the player who Everton may have to make a call on. The Scotland international suffered a serious hamstring injury in April that required surgery. Patterson featured for an hour for the under-21s against Sunderland but Dyche warned at his pre-Palace press conference that the right-back’s recovery is longer than Branthwaite’s.
Seamus Coleman (calf), Armando Broja (ankle), Youssef Chermiti (foot) and youngster Stanley Mills (knee) remain absent.
