Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid

Everton suffered a blow in the top-four race after they were held to a goalless draw by Brighton on Monday and they could drop points once again as they prepare to take on Tottenham Hotspur on Friday.

The Toffees are currently eighth on the Premier League table, seven points behind fourth placed West Ham United meaning they will have to pick up all three points from Friday’s game if they wish to keep their hopes of a Champions League spot alive.

Carlo Ancelotti has some major players out with injuries and most of them are not likely to be fit in time so the Everton boss will have some thinking to do when he names his starting XI.

The Merseyside outfit are not in the best of forms right now picking up just one win out of their previous six games and that also came against 19th placed West Bromwich Albion at the start of March.

Everton team news vs Tottenham:

Pickford missed Everton’s last match with an abdominal injury but the manager has confirmed that he will return in goal vs Spurs

Yerry Mina was forced off during the game against Brighton and he is not going to be available for selection on Friday meaning Holgate will come into central defence alongside Michael Keane and Godfrey.

Allan is a key player who will be returning from injury vs Spurs and the midfielder will slot straight into the side, providing an added layer of defence for the backline.

Andre Gomes is another player who is out with an injury and his absence means Sigurdsson and Tom Davies will keep their place in the starting lineup.

Digne and Coleman will operate as the two wing-backs and will join into that three-man defensive line if required.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is going to miss out with an abductor injury and this will be the biggest blow for Carlo Ancelotti. The manager does have the option of using James Rodriguez as part of a front-two much like he did on Monday.

The Everton, while talking to the press has made it clear that either the players are out or in and no one is going to make a late entry into the matchday squad.

Ancelotti said, as per the club’s official website: “Available for the game are Jordan Pickford, Allan, Joshua King and Andre Gomes. In the next week we are going to have Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph and Bernard.

“It will be longer for Gbamin and Doucoure. Gbamin doesn’t need surgery but he will be out for at least eight weeks. The plan for him is to be back for the start of the new season.”

Read: Pundit names the main culprit during the Spurs vs Man United game.

Read: Solskjaer & Mourinho entangle in a verbal spat after Man United stage a comeback vs Spurs.