Newcastle’s defeat leaves David Moyes in a midfield dilemma

Everton came away from Old Trafford in high spirits last Monday; their 1-0 win over Manchester United was achieved thanks to a resolute defensive display, with the Toffees overcoming a numerical deficit following the early elimination of Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Gueye’s feud with Michael Keane resulted in the midfielder becoming the first player to be sent off in a Premier League match for fighting with his own teammate since Riccardo Fuller for Stoke City in 2008.

Although Gueye was wrong, the haste with which referee Tony Harrington brandished his red card should have resulted in a sensible approach from those in power when Everton inevitably appealed the three-match ban. However, that call fell on deaf ears.

It means Gueye may only play one match (against Chelsea on December 13) before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.

But with Everton managing to take the points without him at Old Trafford, there was hope, heading into Saturday’s home game against Newcastle United, that others would step up to help fill the void. However, a bracing 4-1 defeat leaves David Moyes with some big questions to answer ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Bournemouth.

What went wrong for Everton against Newcastle?

With Merlin Röhl recovering from hernia surgery, Moyes ultimately had two options: Tim Iroegbunam or Charly Alcaraz.

Iroegbunam had taken his chances when they came recently, making decent cameos from the bench against Sunderland and Man Utd, while playing well for an hour after starting against Fulham ahead of the international break in November. He was a more natural defensive player and seemed like the logical fit.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, offers a more dynamic attacking threat, but is more suited to playing behind the striker rather than deeper.

It was no surprise that Moyes turned to Iroegbunam, but on Saturday it quickly became abundantly clear that Everton cannot play in the same way without Gueye in the team.

Newcastle pushed their way through Everton’s midfield time and time again. on the way to a 4-1 victory. Iroegbunam looked lost; without the experience or energy of Gueye next to him, the former Aston Villa midfielder was left exposed. His off-ball positioning can let him down at times, and Newcastle capitalized. He was at fault for the Magpies’ third goal, as he inexplicably lost to Anthony Elanga, who put Nick Woltemade ahead on the stroke of half-time to score.

Alcaraz replaced Iroegbunam at half-time and offered more, hitting the crossbar with a thunderous strike, although he is not a defensive midfielder and James Garner failed to close the gaping holes either side of him.

Not that Everton’s midfield was the only problem. Michael Keane needlessly dived out of defense within 30 seconds of kick-off and was spun by Woltemade, who released Elanga to force the corner from which Malick Thiaw scored the opener. Jordan Pickford spilled Lewis Miley’s shot for Newcastle’s second goal, and the Toffees’ defense was chaotic as Thiaw doubled his tally just before the hour mark.

The only positive was that Garner and Iroegbunam both avoided bookings that would have seen them serve a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards so far in the 2025/26 season.

What solutions could Moyes look at?

Who will start in midfield for Everton vs Bournemouth?

Moyes could potentially move Jake O’Brien inside to form a back three, but the question then becomes: who plays at right-back? Seamus Coleman lasted just ten minutes at Old Trafford before succumbing to a hamstring problem. Nathan Patterson is not fully fit and is not trusted by Moyes anyway.

This means that 4-2-3-1, or a variant thereof, will probably remain in force for the time being. But without Gueye, the off-the-ball approach must change. Everton can’t dive in, their defense can’t build recklessly; there are too many holes and Bournemouth have the pace and strength to take advantage of them.

Iroegbunam failed his audition on Saturday, but if Moyes were to switch to a flatter three and ask Garner to play deeper, then a box-to-box role might suit Iroegbunam, with the in-form Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall playing a similar role at the other end.

If Moyes wants to stick with his 4-2-3-1, he’ll have to be brave; Alcaraz should start at number 10, and Dewsbury-Hall and Garner should be compact and disciplined defensively. They showed they are capable of doing that against Man Utd.

Jack Grealish or Iliman Ndiaye could perhaps play behind the striker if Moyes is reluctant to call on Alcaraz, who arguably hasn’t been given a fair chance this season, with Dwight McNeil or, preferably, Tyler Dibling getting a shot on either flank, but this seems unlikely against a Bournemouth team that can certainly offer plenty of attacking potential.

However, Bournemouth are not in great form: they are winless in four Premier League games and gave up a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Sunderland on Saturday. They will have to make do without Lewis Cook and David Brooks, who are suspended. Perhaps the best form of defense is attack?

Everton’s recent record at the Vitality Stadium is abysmal, but getting back on track and avoiding defeat is crucial ahead of a tough run of fixtures, including the return of former boss Sean Dyche with Nottingham Forest, the next team to visit the Hill Dickinson Stadium and clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.

Gueye’s absence is a blow, but Everton must get used to it and Moyes must respond accordingly. And should a Premier League midfield be so reliant on a 36-year-old to tie things together?

Saturday’s defeat must now be quickly put aside. Alcaraz, Iroegbunam and the rest of Everton’s fit midfielders should view these coming games not as a gauntlet, but as an opportunity to stake their claim.

Please note: The following content is not moderated or controlled by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

How to get rid of these ads and support TW

© ToffeeWeb