OPINION
Marco Silva must axe Theo Walcott from his starting line-up if he wants to field his best possible Everton team against Cardiff at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.
Walcott, 29, has been in woeful form for the Toffees lately and Silva should look to replace the £20million [Telegraph] 2018 signing in the starting line-up with Ademola Lookman, who deserves a chance to impress due to Walcott’s awful run of performances.
Gylfi Sigurdsson could also miss the game due to injury so Dominic Calvert-Lewin should return to replace him to start up front with Richarlison in a very attack-minded side.
Jordan Pickford is by far and away Silva’s best goalkeeper and must start between the sticks.
Everton did well to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea before the international break so it makes sense to keep the same backline of Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne.
If that defence can shut-out Chelsea, Cardiff will have no chance of breaking it down.
Andre Gomes and Idrissa Gueye must start together in the centre of midfield but more emphasis will be put on Gomes to create attacking opportunities due to Sigurdsson’s potential absence.
Bernard and Lookman must start on both wings with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison possessing the creativity, pace and cutting edge between them to be able to form an exciting strike partnership.
If Silva can make these changes then surely this is a team that can annihilate relegation-threatened Cardiff and send Neil Warnock’s side back on a slope towards the Championship.