Everton manager Sean Dyche is under increasing pressure to drop out-of-form striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin ahead of their trip to West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.
Calvert-Lewin was anonymous once again in the loss at Southampton last week, extending his scoring drought to six matches, and taking his tally of offsides to 16 - five more than any other Premier League player - with Dyche hooking the striker on the hour mark.
After scoring the equaliser against Fulham, Beto was given more minutes than usual off the bench, and once again made his mark, forcing Jan Bednarek into a last-man challenge that was on the borderline of a red card, before seeing his sublime control and finish ruled out by the tightest of margins by VAR late on.
Armando Broja will not be available until later this month despite returning to training this week, so Beto is the only alternative, but after sticking by Calvert-Lewin during his 23-game scoring drought last season, which begun after netting the winner on this ground, suggests Dyche will opt for Everton's number nine again.
Dyche has also come under fire for leaving Jarrad Branthwaite on the bench in the last two games, despite the defender being the club's best player in the eyes of many, preferring to stick with out-of-form stand-in skipper James Tarkowski, and a rejuvenated Michael Keane, who has shown improvement this season.
Following the defeat though, Branthwaite is almost certain to return, and Keane is the likeliest candidate to drop out, given Tarkowski's role as captain in Seamus Coleman's absence.
The Everton boss also has a decision to make at full-back, as Vitalii Mykolenko is struggling for form too, and some calling for the rarely-seen Nathan Patterson to be given an opportunity, with Ashley Young shifting to left-back.
On the injury front, Dwight McNeil was a surprise inclusion last week after not training at all in the build up to the Southampton clash, while Abdoulaye Doucoure was not as fortunate, but he has seen his groin issue settle down quicker than expected, with Dyche confirming he is in contention to start.
Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner remain sidelined in the engine room, though, and they have been joined on the sidelines by Coleman, who has picked up a hamstring issue this week and is also set to miss Ireland duty.
The visitors may be sweating over the fitness of Iliman Ndiaye, as Everton's key man so far this season limped off with a dead leg early in the second half last week, and would be a very notable absentee should he miss out.
Everton possible starting lineup: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Doucoure; Lindstrom, McNeil, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin
Click here to see how West Ham could line up for this hugely important Premier League clash.
Andrew Delaney
