Full Everton team news from the Amex Stadium where they face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League
13:56, 31 Jan 2026Updated 14:20, 31 Jan 2026
Jake O’Brien returns to right-back for Everton at Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
David Moyes has made three changes for Everton’s match at Brighton & Hove Albion. Michael Keane, Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will all start for the Blues in a new-look side for the trip to the south coast.
Nathan Patterson, Vitalii Mykolenko, who is not in the squad after picking up a knock in training, and Dwight McNeil are the players who fall out of the XI that started against Leeds United on Monday. It means Everton will put out a back four consisting entirely of centre-backs.
Branthwaite’s first start of the season looks set to come at left back as the 23-year-old steps up his return from a hamstring injury suffered on the eve of the season. He played the second half of the 1-1 draw at home to Leeds.
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Keane is set to start at centre-back, making an immediate return after serving his three-game ban after his red card against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Jake O’Brien returning to right-back in place of Patterson.
Further forward Dewsbury-Hall, who also returned from a hamstring injury in the second half against Leeds, starts in a midfield that also includes James Garner, Idrissa Gueye, Harrison Armstrong and Iliman Ndiaye.
That line-up raises questions about how the team will approach the game, with the defence, like the midfield, lacking width.
The inclusion of Armstrong for a fifth consecutive start is a telling move given Moyes has said he is yet to decide whether he will sanction his return to Preston North End on loan for the second half of the season.
Thierno Barry will start up front.
Despite the absence of Mykolenko, there is no place on the bench for Adam Aznou, who could go out on loan before the closure of the transfer window on Monday.
EVERTON: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite; Garner, Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall, Armstrong, Ndiaye: Barry. Subs: Travers, Coleman, Patterson, Rohl, Beto, McNeil, Dibling, Iroegbunam, Alcaraz.
BRIGHTON: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Rutter, Baleba, Welbeck, Mitoma, Kadioglu, Ayari, De Cuyper, Gross. Subs: Steele, Julio, Gruda, Minteh, Milner, Kostoulas, Boscagli, Veltman, Howell.
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