View: Sean Dyche needs to axe out-of-sorts Everton man at HT v Doncaster

Everton manager Sean Dyche has to take off left-back Vitalii Mykolenko at half-time of their EFL Cup second-round tie against Doncaster Rovers.

Doncaster tried to take the game to the Toffees in the early stages but Dyche’s side were soon dominating possession, however their attacking sequences would often break down when the ball came to the left-hand side.

Dwight McNeil was the only player in the front four who kept his place as Dyche made six changes from their Premier League loss at Tottenham, but he was often isolated due to a lack of support from Mykolenko.

The Ukrainian was also at fault for an almost catastrophic mix-up with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and with Dyche needing to change things at half-time if his side are to beat League Two’s Doncaster, Mykolenko could be the man to be replaced.

Sean Dyche must bring off Vitalii Mykolenko at half-time against Doncaster

Doncaster’s most successful spells of play came down Mykolenko’s side of the pitch, while the Toffees also looked out of ideas when in possession in the same areas of the pitch – that’s hardly a coincidence.

McNeil became so isolated on the left that Iliman Ndiaye often had to drift wide to assist him in attack, but time after time there was no sign of Mykolenko looking to overlap as the Blues continued to be massively blunt up front.

At the other end, Doncaster would often look to escape on the counter-attack with Luke Molyneux and Zain Westbrooke down the right, almost catching the Toffees out on one occasion with Mykolenko nowhere to be seen.

Molyneux had another chance to go one-on-one with the Ukrainian late in the half, breezing past Mykolenko as if he wasn’t there before scooping a cross back from the byline.

Although Mykolenko is the only out-and-out left-back in the Blues’ matchday squad, but with Ashley Young amongst the substitutes after his red card against Brighton on the opening day, the 38-year-old is Dyche’s only option.

Throwing Young straight back into Premier League action, given how far off the pace he was against Brighton, wouldn’t be the wisest of ideas, and as such introducing him for the second half of this must-win cup tie may be the best course of action.

In other Everton news, John Textor’s influence is already being felt at the Toffees close in on a European transfer.

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