Three Everton players who must step up in Jack Grealish’s absence against Manchester City | OneFootball

​Jack Grealish was a big-name signing for Everton, but how he would perform under David Moyes was not easy to predict.

​At his best, the man with 39 senior England caps to his name has shown himself to be one of the most intelligent playmakers in the Premier League. However, he struggled for minutes across his final two seasons at Manchester City and managed a minuscule goal contribution tally of two in the latter of those.

​The questions of uncertainty regarding Grealish at Everton have now been answered in spectacular fashion. He has already found the net once this season and, more impressively, the 30-year-old has assisted four goals in the league.

​Grealish’s performances in August even earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award, an achievement he failed to win at both Aston Villa and Manchester City.

​This is all well and good, but it means little ahead of Everton’s next Premier League fixture. The Toffees will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City, but Grealish will not be able to play due to a rule prohibiting loanees from facing their parent clubs.

​With the club’s star player out for Saturday’s game, who can up in his stead?

Carlos Alcaraz could be given a chance against Manchester City

Tyler Dibling was given the nod against Crystal Palace, but he was hooked off at halftime when Everton trailed by a goal to nil.

​Carlos Alcaraz took his place and was a far greater contributor for the hosts. He had 15 more touches, created more chances, and looked a bigger threat in front of goal.

​Therefore, there is a good chance Alcaraz will be rewarded with a start against Manchester City. The midfielder’s versatility will be of use to Moyes, but he needs to ensure that he is consistently crafting goalscoring opportunities and taking his own chances when they come.

​Alcaraz did score against Mansfield in the Carabao Cup, but his Premier League record leaves much to be desired. He is yet to register a goal contribution this season and holds expected goals and assists tallies of 0.21 and 0.04, respectively.

​If Alcaraz is the player to be added to the starting lineup in Grealish’s absence, he must do far better on the creative front.

​Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will return from his suspension

Should Alcaraz play down the middle, there is a chance Dewsbury-Hall will be moved out wide into Grealish’s usual position.

​Like his new teammate, Dewsbury-Hall is looking to rediscover his form after being left on the sidelines more weeks than not at his previous club.

​The 27-year-old played an important role in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League success last season, but he made as many appearances in that competition as he did in the Premier League.

​This season, Dewsbury-Hall is enjoying the trust and support of Moyes and is off to a good start at Everton. However, he has three fewer assists than Grealish and has not matched him for creativity.

​Dewsbury-Hall must find a way to break Manchester City’s high defensive line. Beto’s physical presence up front could prove to be a useful asset, and if he can provide the striker with clever passes and balls over the top, he could be the key to unlocking Beto’s goal threat.

​Iliman Ndiaye must not be silenced by Manchester City

Grealish might be leading the way when it comes to overall attacking performances, but Ndiaye is Everton’s top scorer with three Premier League goals in seven appearances.

​The winger has barely had a bad game all season and he will be the player Manchester City are most cautious of. Especially since he was the player who scored at the Etihad last season to secure Everton a well-earned point.

​Ndiaye has shown he can deliver against the very best teams in the league. He got an assist in the Merseyside derby and scored against Crystal Palace, helping to end their 19-match unbeaten run.

​Manchester City will be another tough test, but Ndiaye is likely to be high on confidence after he continued to perform at a strong level over the international break.

​He assisted Senegal’s opening goal against South Sudan and scored a goal four days later as his country defeated Mauritania.

​Pep Guardiola’s team will provide a different level of opposition and Ndiaye must be on his game if Everton are to cause problems for their opponents’ backline.

​Manchester City are strong at home - but not unbeatable

Man City have made light work of the past three teams to visit the Etihad Stadium, scoring 10 goals and conceding just once in the process.

​However, Tottenham Hotspur won there in August, showing that it can be done. Their win, though, was a complete team effort.

​If Everton are to take all three points or even one point, which would be a positive outcome, compensating for the loss of Grealish is just one important area. The midfield must bring balance and control, and James Tarkowski and his defensive line must be ready for battle throughout the 90 minutes.