Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku have been given just 50/50 chances of making it into the squad for the clash with Everton at the London Stadium on Sunday.
Oggy is believed to still be recovering from a knock against Chelsea whilst Arthur Masuaku is in much the same position after surgery.
Declan is understood to be ready for the match but the general feeling among those we speak with is that the manager will be very tempted to stay with the team which produced such a dramatic and entertaining display at Turf moor on Monday evening with the defensive midfielder on the bench.
Mark Noble will remain unavailable and we understand that Andriy Yarmolenko – whilst training on grass still isn’t fully recovered from injury.
However, there were no new injuries from the Burnley match in a game which provided probably the most entertaining of the season.
Oggy will probably be the most important absentee should he not bne available given the indifferent recent form of Issa Diop.
Leaving Rice out is a massive call if he’s fit, I understand why you say the same team as at Burley as Lanzini played well . In fact the whole team did . However Everton have a different sort of threat , I just feel we will need Rice for the game as he provides that bit more defensive cover .
Rice played on after receiving an injury on international duty. Had he been responsible and requested he be subbed off he might have returned earlier. Lanzini has earned his start and Rice or Soucek can sit.
It’s understandable if David Moyes is tempted to start with the same starting eleven against Everton although Declan could be fit to play.
Lanzini was a revelation alongside Soucek in midfield away to Burnley. This leaves me wondering whether it would be wise to retain his services rather than sell him in the next window. Accidentally, David Moyes may have discovered a solution to our problems in midfield. Why spend part of our limited resources on another midfielder when we already possess an in-house solution? Surely it’s a good short-term fix when we’re apparently so strapped for the readies.
In all honesty Lanzini would have to play second fiddle to Declan; but is that so bad?
Hopefully, Jesse will join us full-time in the summer – and beyond that we desperately need two strikers and an eventual replacement between the sticks for Fabianski.
We’re told that money for replacements is tight, so it’s imperative that whatever we have in the kitty is used on young, hungry and upcoming stars such as Ivan Toney – and they won’t come cheap.
Hopefully, David Moyes will be awarded a suitably lengthy contract which will enable him to continue the rebuilding process. But it’s unfair to expect this to happen overnight. It will take time – but in the meantime maybe there’s sense in keeping hold of quality players such as Lanzini and Yarmo. I wouldn’t entirely rule out Anderson – but there would need to be massive change in his attitude and application.