Dominic Calvert-Lewin starts as Everton line-up for Aston Villa confirmed

Everton starting line-up and full team news from Villa Park for their Premier League game against Aston Villa

Dominic Calvert-Lewin starts for Everton against Aston Villa as Sean Dyche welcomes back his talisman.

The Blues boss acknowledged the forward was “in his thinking” for the trip to Villa Park after a summer largely spent

rebuilding his fitness following injury troubles that have persisted for the past two seasons.

The 26-year-old played in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United on Tuesday after missing out

on the Premier League curtain-raiser against Fulham last week. Arnaut Danjuma, who played on the wing while

Calvert-Lewin was on the pitch against Man Utd, starts on the bench again.

Calvert-Lewin is the only change to the team that started last Saturday, suggesting Dyche will stick to the 4-5-1

formation he has favoured since his appointment. That means Alex Iwobi will likely start on the left of midfield

and James Garner on the right.

Neal Maupay, who makes way for Calvert-Lewin, is on the bench alongside Vitalii Mykolenko, Tom Cannon and

Danjuma – all of whom are building towards match fitness after lay-offs over towards the end of pre-season.

Demarai Gray, as reported by the ECHO on Saturday, is not part of the matchday squad. Dyche has said his absence

is due to fitness. The winger has been the subject of interest from clubs including Fulham throughout the summer.

With Andre Gomes absent due to a calf issue, Dele out with a longer term issue and Jean-Phillipe Gbamin not

currently with the Everton squad, 20-year-old Tyler Onyango is the only centre midfielder on the bench.

Everton team: Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Young; Garner, Gueye, Onana, Doucoure, Iwobi; Calvert-

Lewin. Subs: Virginia, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onyango, Danjuma, Dobbin, Maupay, Cannon