View: Dyche could hand player full Everton debut after what he said today

Orel Mangala could be in line for his first Everton start against Aston Villa after what Sean Dyche said about the midfielder at his pre-match press conference.

The Belgian arrived at Goodison Park on deadline day in a season-long loan deal from Lyon, alongside Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

After three consecutive defeats at the start of the Premier League season, changes will be needed for the trip against Aston Villa and Dyche could be set to hand Mangala his first start after his words on Thursday (12 September).

He told reporters: “Orel, we know obviously from his time at [Nottingham] Forest, he can deal with the Premier League, we know he’s an international footballer.

“He’s just spent his first bit of time [at the club]. He literally signed and just went away [with Belgium]. But he’s come in today bright and breezy and wants to be a part of the group and we’ll assess it as we go on.”

Orel Mangala must start for Everton

While all the headlines for the match this weekend will be about Amadou Onana facing Everton for the first time since sealing a £50million switch to Aston Villa, Dyche must keep a level head going into this vital fixture.

Tim Iroegbunam is also facing a reunion at Villa Park after joining the Blues this summer and has started all three matches under Dyche in the absence of James Garner, who returned to the matchday squad in the 3-2 loss against Bournemouth.

The midfield pairing of Iroegbunam and Idrissa Gueye has been a failure so far. Dyche had little option but to field the pair, but with Garner back in the side and the boost of Mangala, it is now or never for the Blues boss to ring in the changes with his job possibly on the line.

Mangala has the Premier League experience that Dyche coveted in his recruitment all summer and, unlike other summer signings, will not need time to settle into life in the English top flight.

The 26-year-old was a regular fixture for Nottingham Forest before leaving for Ligue 1 and will know exactly how to deal with his Belgium teammate Onana from his experience in the national side.

If Dyche wants to throw a spanner in the works, he should start Mangala and Garner this weekend. On paper, the pair are likely to become the preferred midfield pairing at Goodison Park and the decision eliminates the uncertainty of how Iroegbunam will perform against his former club.

Whether or not Dyche is willing to take risks this weekend remains to be seen, but fielding the same side that has lost all their Premier League matches this season would be insanity. Changes are needed.

In other Everton news, John Textor plans to rip up the playbook at Goodison Park.

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