Shoot’s Everton vs Wolves Combined XI

It is the return of the tradition three o’clock Saturday kick-off to the Premier League this weekend after a two-week absence.

Amongst the five games being played in mid-afternoon sees seventh placed Wolverhampton Wanders travel to eighth placed Everton.

The home side have experienced mixed form of late, having won three and lost three of their last six games in all competitions.

After winning 1-0 away at struggling Huddersfield mid-week despite having left-back Lucas Digne sent-off, the Toffees will go into Saturday’s encounter with confidence.

But the visit of high-flying Wolves will certainly be no push-over, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s men travel to Merseyside on the back of a convincing 3-0 win over West Ham.

The Portuguese boss has worked wonders in the Black Country, with his side playing the same attractive brand of football which won them the Championship last season.

The sides last met back in August, as a brace from Everton’s big money signing Richarlison on his debut, along with strikes from Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez for the home side saw a 2-2 draw play-out at Molineux.

SHOOT has put together out very own Everton-Wolves combined XI.

Do you agree with our selection? Or, who do you think we have missed out?

Comment below with your tactical suggestions!

*The combined XI follows a traditional 4-3-3 formation and includes ALL players from either squad.*

GOALKEEPER: Jordan Pickford (Everton)

England’s penalty shootout hero in last summer’s World Cup – the 24-year-old gets the nod between the sticks for our XI over Wolves’ Rui Patricio.

Despite his error at Anfield which lost Everton the Merseyside derby at the start of December, Pickford is now seemingly back to his best and put in a match winning performance in the victory over Huddersfield.

Now Gareth Southgate’s undisputed number one, the former Sunderland man looks to have a bright future ahead of him for both club and country.

RIGHT-BACK: Seamus Coleman (Everton)

After a horrific leg-break injury in early 2017, it was questioned whether Coleman would ever kick a ball again, let alone return to the high standards he had set himself in the Premier League.

But nearly two years on, the Republic of Ireland international has re-established himself as one of the best right-backs in the top-flight and has made 237 league appearances for the Toffees.

With a desire to make runs forward and chip in with goals and assists, there had to be room in our XI for the 30-year-old.

CENTRE-BACK: Conor Coady (Wolves)

Formerly on the books of Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool, Coady was a pivotal member as Wolves won the Championship last season and, like many of his teammates, has continued his fine form in the Premier League.

Having started all top-flight games this season, it is clear how highly the skipper is rated by boss Nuno Espirito Santo, and he makes the cut for out XI ahead of the likes of Kurt Zouma and Ryan Bennett.

CENTRE-BACK: Michael Keane (Everton)

On the back of three impressive seasons with Burnley, Keane was rewarded in the summer of 2017 with a £25million move to Everton.

After struggling initially to live up to his hefty price tag, the 26-year-old appears to have come into this season with a new lease of life and has started all-but three games this term.

With five England caps to his name, Keane will hope that his improvement this season will see him firmly back in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts.

LEFT-BACK: Jonny Castro Otto (Wolves)

Arriving on-loan from Atletico in the summer, the Spaniard has become a fans’ favourite at Molineux, with chants of ‘sign him up’ as he left the field against West Ham.

So much has Jonny impressed during his six months in England that Wolves splashed £15million to buy him on deadline day.

This would have been a tricky position to choose, but with Everton’s impressive Lucas Digne banned following his red card against Huddersfield, Jonny gets the nod.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Idrissa Gueye (Everton)

The underrated Senegal international was subject of more than one Deadline Day bid from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s understood the player wanted to move back to France, where he spent seven years with Lille, so it will be interesting to see how he now reacts.

So far this season though, the 29-year-old has been a key player in Marco Silva’s side, making more tackles than any other midfielder in the Premier League (83).

Add to that the ex-Aston Villa man has made the fifth most interceptions in the top-flight it’s easy to see why he’s so vital to the Toffees.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Ruben Neves (Wolves)

Wolves’ star man, Ruben Neves, is the second-half of a Portuguese midfield duo which often sees him sit beside the experienced Joao Moutinho in the middle of the park.

At just 21-years-of-age, Neves is touted as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and with his exceptional range of passing and ability to catch goalkeepers out with long shots, he holds a pivotal role.

But the former Porto captain could be on his way out of Molineux in the summer, with several major clubs said to be eyeing up the playmaker.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

Much like Neves is for Wolves, Sigurdsson is the heartbeat of the Everton team with his technical capabilities – and has scored nine goals and created three assists this term.

Whilst struggling initially to justify the £40million paid for him under Ronald Koeman, the Iceland international is now at the peak of his powers aged 29.

Against Huddersfield, Sigurdsson impressed in a deeper role alongside Tom Davies, which could enhance his passing abilities even further.

FORWARD: Richarlison (Everton)

In his maiden season on Merseyside, Richarlison is well on course to start repaying the £50million which Everton handed Watford for him last summer.

The Brazilian is the club’s top-scorer in the league with 10 goals, and Toffees fans will hope for a repeat of the performance which secured a brace on his debut against Saturday’s opponents back in August.

On the back of a winning goal midweek, the former Fluminense man should be brimming with confidence going into this one.

FORWARD: Diogo Jota (Wolves)

Scoring 17 goals in Wolves’ promotion push last season, the Atletico Madrid loanee made his move permanent last January and has been a key member of the club’s Portuguese contingent ever since.

The 22-year-old recently notched a hat-trick in the dramatic 4-3 win over Leicester City, and has scored five goals this season.

If Wolves’s emphatic rise up the table is to continue, it is likely that Jota will have a crucial role to play.

STRIKER: Raul Jimenez (Wolves)

Rounding off our XI is Wolves’ top-scorer Raul Jimenez, who netted twice in the win over West Ham to bring his tally for the season up to eight.

The on-loan Benfica striker has played in all of the club’s 24 league games this term, and has linked up well with Jota to give the West Midlands club some serious fire power.

With a buyout clause of £33million, it’s still up in the air whether Wolves will make it a permanent deal come the summer.