3 players who deserve to keep their place for Fulham fixture | OneFootball

As the Premier League season draws to a close, Everton’s early confirmation of top-flight survival has left little at stake in the final fixtures.

Several players will be battling to prove their worth ahead of David Moyes’ rumored summer overhaul, while others see the Goodison Park farewell as the only remaining spectacle, perhaps already mentally clocked out and focused on their upcoming holidays.

The manager will not take anything lightly with nine points to play for starting with Fulham next. If three wins out of three are achieved then a possible high of twelfth position could be achieved, capitalizing on more prize money for those transfers.

Following an indifferent performance from the “Desmond draw” at the weekend, we assess the three Everton players who deserve to be in the starting lineup for the trip to Craven Cottage.

Dwight McNeil

He was the best player on the pitch on Saturday, with his goal, Everton’s second, capping off an impressive performance. It was made all the more commendable given he was returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.

He is expected to retain his place on the right wing, where he will likely look to exploit the space left by former academy player Antonee Robinson, as his attacking tendencies may leave gaps at the back for the London side. His deliveries into the box were a clear improvement on those of Jack Harrison, and Everton finally looked more threatening from set pieces thanks to his service.

McNeil completed 78 minutes and seven day inbetween, there should be no concerns regarding his match fitness after a long layoff.

Beto

A decision will be made in the coming weeks on the long-term future of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as his return from a hamstring injury was made on Saturday, with Beto deputising at his expense.

The performance at the weekend was a reminder of what the Portuguese striker offers to this team, more of a threat with crosses into the box than Calvert-Lewin, and just as influential running in behind, as evidenced in the fixture at Anfield when he caused the defender no end of problems.

The overhead kick showed a little bit of flair while a few loose touches in the game reminded us on why we can't expect to unearth a Alexander Isak, Erling Haaland or Oli Watkins come next season. Those expectations can look a bit rosier come Saturday should he be celebrating after scoring past Bernd Leno and coming away from London with three points.

The Gwladys Street end is more hopeful with the presence of Beto up front, although with DCL returning, there will be no harm in seeing the English striker getting more minutes before a potential exit.

Jake O’Brien

You can almost hear the surprise as his name is read out but the Irishman has earned his spot alongside Jarrad Branthwaite at centre-back, not on the strength of his latest performance, but for his consistent displays throughout the season.

Operating in his preferred role in place of the absent James Tarkowski, the former Lyon defender came under scrutiny for his part in George Hirst’s equaliser, having been caught underneath the ball. While Idrissa Gana Gueye failed to prevent the cross, O’Brien still had the opportunity to challenge Hirst, who was allowed a free header.

He looked unsettled in the aftermath, and an altercation with Liam Delap seemed to shake his composure further, affecting his focus for the rest of the match.

Even so, his form under Moyes has been instrumental in helping Everton pull clear of the relegation battle, bringing much-needed stability to a backline where he was previously overlooked by Sean Dyche. That resurgence over the past four months is enough to justify his place ahead of Michael Keane.