With just five Everton players away on senior international duty, writer Brendan McGilligan of the Liverpool Echo has suggested that Sean Dyche will actually benefit from the international break.
McGilligan said that although Jarrad Branthwaite will also go for junior duty, the only players departing Finch Farm for international appearances are Nathan Patterson, Amadou Onana, Jordan Pickford, Vitaliy Mykolenko, and Idrissa Gueye.
According to the journalist, Dyche will be able to work with his team and maintain their form ahead of the Merseyside match at Anfield after the two-week break for the international matchups.
On October 11, McGilligan wrote the following for the Liverpool Echo website: Dyche will lose just five members of his team to full international duty during this international break, however players like Jarrad Branthwaite will be playing at the junior level.
The only team with less players serving for their country is Sheffield United, who are now bottom of the Premier League.
“The low number of international choices has also been attributed to injuries to players like club captain Seamus Coleman, who turns 35 today. Some members of the Blues team will need to improve their form in order to be considered for call-ups.
But may it turn out to be a lucky break for Dyche in the short run? The Merseyside derby at Anfield versus Liverpool is scheduled to begin at 12.30 pm on Saturday, October 21, following the international break.
For the second time in Jurgen Klopp’s reign, the Everton manager will have two weeks to work with his players to create a strategy in order to overcome the Reds. The Blues’ most recent derby triumph occurred in February 2021 while Carlo Ancelotti was their manager.
Extra time on the training ground
Dyche will have this extra time to work with his squad ahead of the clash at Anfield, which could allow the Toffees to work on some new plans in an attempt to get a first derby win since 2021.
The opposite will be the case for Liverpool, with the majority of their squad jetting across the world during the two-week break, which can often lead to issues upon their return to the squad whether through late arrivals, jet lag, or problems picked up with their countries.
The 12:30 kick-off at Anfield is always a fixture Jurgen Klopp likes to complain about, and Sean Dyche will be hoping to give him another reason to complain by earning a result there in two weeks’ time.
He will be looking to use the international break to find some minor improvements his team can make after their good recent form, with three wins in their last four games.
