Everton vs Wigan Athletic preview - Moyes prepared to make changes

Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 by PA

Everton manager David Moyes has warned that despite having one of the smallest squads in the top flight no player should become complacent about their first-team place.

The Toffees registered just 18 players over the age of 21 in their 25-man list submitted to the Premier League.

But even then it is not a case of the established names turning out every match as captain Phil Neville discovered last weekend.

The 34-year-old was left on the bench for 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in what was expected to be his 200th Premier League appearance for the club.

"We have got some options. I don't know how many we registered in the 25-man squad but it wasn't that many," said Moyes ahead of the visit of Wigan.

"We have competition and I have said if I don't think someone is quite playing well enough then I will change it.

"After that we have one or two but after that we have to go into the kids and that is where I am short.

"But I've got good competition at right-back with Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville and that is healthy."

Interestingly Moyes now seems to see Neville, who has operated as Everton's midfield anchor more often than not, primarily as a defender.

That could be due, in part, to the array of choices he has in midfield.

He started with Marouane Fellaini, 23, and Jack Rodwell, 20, in central midfield against Villa and sees that as being the partnership for the future.

"It is only exciting if they play well and they did that last week but if they don't play well it won't be exciting for me and I have other people who can take their place," said the Toffees boss.

"We would like players to develop and we would like to introduce younger players if we can.

"Felli's been around the team since we bought him as a 19-year-old and Jack has been around it since he was 17.

"They are young but they are good, experienced players and they know how it works and what is expected.

"The `young boy' tag has not left Jack yet but he it is for him to step up to the mark and I thought last week he did that.

"He now has to show that on a consistent and regular basis but he's certainly got a talent and that is why he is talked about so much."

Tim Cahill is set to start in attack again with Louis Saha's perennial fitness problems continuing.

Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce (hamstring) is rated only 50-50.

Defenders Steven Gohouri (calf) and Antolin Alcaraz (thigh) are getting closer to fitness but remain sidelined.

Manager Roberto Martinez, who made seven changes in the Carling Cup in midweek, will revert to a more familiar line-up but Shaun Maloney, David Jones and Patrick van Aanholt could make league debuts.