Everton welcome Newcastle United to Merseyside tonight.
All eyes are on Everton boss Marco Silva to see if he starts Ademola Lookman when Newcastle United visit Goodison Park tonight.
The 21-year-old is well overdue a spot in Silva’s first XI this season, with all eight of his Premier League appearances so far coming as a substitute.
But there’s two words which illustrate why the Portuguese boss must start him against Newcastle: Javier Manquillo.
With Paul Dummett still out, Magpies boss Rafael Benitez might go with the Spaniard at left-back again – and that’s potentially brilliant news for Everton.
Lookman has speed, agility and most importantly hunger. Manquillo isn’t a very good left-back and the former Charlton starlet could run him ragged for 90 minutes.
Of course, Benitez may switch things up after the 3-0 defeat by West Ham last time out, and could play a three-man defence, with Kenedy operating as a left wing-back.
That situation might negate Lookman’s would-be threat, but if Benitez continues with Manquillo at left-back then it could be a long, long night for the former Liverpool defender and one he’ll want to forget.
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