Everton1 - 1Arsenal

With the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid on the horizon, Mikel Arteta has rung the changes, making five alterations from the team that defeated Fulham 2-1 in midweek.

In a shock move, the Spaniard has demoted skipper Odegaard from the starting XI, while Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli and the injured Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes also make way.

With Odegaard sidelined, Mikel Merino is seemingly set to drop into the midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jorginho, while Leandro Trossard and Sterling are both reintroduced to the attack.

Sterling is expected to operate off the left with Trossard through the middle, and Arteta has also kept faith with Ethan Nwaneri over Bukayo Saka, who is on the bench for the second game running following his return from injury.

On a positive note, Ben White has been cleared to return at right-back after missing the victory over Fulham due to a niggle, while Jakub Kiwior starts in Gabriel's place as expected.

Meanwhile, Everton boss David Moyes has made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Merseyside rivals Liverpool on Wednesday, and there is a return to the XI for key attacker Iliman Ndiaye after his comeback from injury, with Carlos Alcaraz making way.

Nathan Patterson is also drafted into defence in place of Vitaliy Mykolenko, who is absent entirely, while Tim Iroegbunam is preferred to James Garner in midfield.

Everton starting lineup: Pickford; O'Brien, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Patterson; Gueye, Iroegbunam; Harrison, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto

Subs: Virginia, Keane, McNeil, Chermiti, Young, Broja, Coleman, Alcaraz, Garner

Arsenal starting lineup: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Jorginho, Rice; Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling

Subs: Neto, Tierney, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Timber, Zinchenko, Gower

Written by

Ben Knapton