What rules would you change?published at 08:03 GMT 12 November
08:03 GMT 12 November
Media caption,
Sin bins? Bonus points? Two goals if you score from distance?
Imagine a world in which you could reinvent football.
It's a dream, of course. Just a bit of fun. But stick with us.
What if you had the power to change any of the game's laws and potentially bring to an end countless hours of discussion about handball, offside, video assistant referees, or anything else you want to?
Some of BBC Sport's familiar football faces have offered their own potential rule changes.
The Blues also want to sign a new striker in the January transfer window, with Netherlands and Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee, 24, high on their list of possible targets. (Sky Sports), external
Arsenal and Palace fixtures movedpublished at 17:34 GMT 11 November
17:34 GMT 11 November
Sami Mokbel Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
The Premier League has agreed to move games involving Arsenal and Crystal Palace in December to ease fixture congestion.
Arsenal's trip to Everton and Palace's game at Leeds - both originally scheduled for 14:00 GMT on Sunday, 21 December - will now be played at 20:00 on Saturday, 20 December.
The move means the two sides will have an extra day to prepare for their EFL Cup quarter-final on 23 December.
The decision to move forward the two Premier League matches has been done after requests from both clubs.
It is understood the desire for both teams to have the same recovery time before the EFL Cup tie was a factor, though television scheduling is also believed to have been a consideration.
There is an acknowledgment that the 20:00 kick-off does provide travelling supporters with logistical difficulties.
But the Premier League says the decision has been taken with the players' well-being at the forefront of its mind.
It said: "Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore granted requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures.
"This comes after the scheduling of matches from other competitions around Premier League fixtures without adequate player recovery time.
"This is also further evidence of the impact the expanded Uefa competitions have on the domestic fixture calendar."
'Moyes needs to pick Barry or Beto and persist with one'published at 13:22 GMT 11 November
13:22 GMT 11 November
Briony Bragg Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Four points is a positive result following the fixtures this week (and looks even better following Sunderland's result against Arsenal).
However, the Thierno Barry vs Beto striker debate continues.
During the coverage of last Monday's game at Sunderland, some worrying statistics were shown. In 10 appearances, only Beto had scored a goal, with Barry on 0% shooting accuracy.
Yet, following what was a real howler of a miss against Sunderland, there is something about Barry that just makes Everton look a lot, well, better.
When he arrived at Everton sporting a fashion bag covered in Labubu dolls, it was debatable whether he would really endear himself. Everton have not had a lot of luck recently with strikers, and if he was going to hit the mark straight away it would take putting the ball in the net very quickly.
But if you want to win Everton fans over, just give it your all. Make it clear that you care. And it is obvious he does. Merseyside loves a cult hero, and following a small amount of protestation from Barry, his exit from the pitch on Saturday prompted a standing ovation across Hill Dickinson Stadium. And he thanked the fans on his social media.
He holds the ball up well, has some great link-up play with his team-mates and his overall profile is impressive. His lack of goals is not for lack of effort. The Premier League is a massive step up for him, and hopefully the support will give him a lift. Moyes needs to pick Barry or Beto and persist with one as his first choice.
As the late, great Howard Kendall once said: "Get the ball into the box, and the Gwladys Street will suck it into the net."
Here's hoping the new South Stand can do the same for Barry.
Toffees 'got it right' against Fulham - Tarkowskipublished at 14:15 GMT 10 November
14:15 GMT 10 November
Image source, Getty Images
Everton defender James Tarkowski said it was "really pleasing" to keep a clean sheet in the win over Fulham on Saturday , adding that the Toffees "were really good at both ends" of the pitch.
David Moyes' side ended a three-game winless run with a strong home performance in which they also had three goals ruled out for offside, including one by Tarkowski.
"The margins have been close recently," he told BBC Radio Merseyside. "We have had some decent performances without seeing games off, or made costly errors that led to us getting beaten - especially in the Spurs game.
"We were good at both ends. We scored some goals and had a couple disallowed for marginal offside and apart from a couple of chances, we dominated for most of the game.
"We got it right. If you put the ball in the back of the net then that is all we can do.
"We have been working on set-pieces a lot after seeing loads of teams score from them.
"We have always had a pretty good defensive record, it is something we have prided ourselves on since I have been here, but recently we hadn't got the details right.
"We will enjoy the break now and then come back ready for the Christmas run-in."
Everton 2-0 Fulham - the fans' verdictpublished at 08:48 GMT 10 November
08:48 GMT 10 November
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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Fulham.
Here are some of your comments:
Everton fans
Anton: Not a vintage performance by any stretch but a game we would have definitely lost in the past few seasons. Kept a coherent shape for pretty much the full 90 and didn't drop our heads when chances were (once again) squandered. Having said that, Thierno Barry had by far his best outing for us. Still a long way from the finished article and desperately needs that first goal, but he will hopefully take a confidence boost from this match.
Mike: The switch of James Garner to right-back immediately gave the team more natural balance and threat. We have to keep with it and not revert back to overly cautious mode. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had his best game, as did Barry.
Alex: Solid performance from the Blues. We created plenty of opportunities and could have won 3-0 or 4-0 with some decent forwards. We don't have the luxury of time to wait for Barry and Beto to get up to speed. We withstood pressure from Fulham, which was pleasing as we would usually end up conceding. Michael Keane has been immense since David Moyes took over. Decent performance all round.
Terry: Everton are so badly in need of a striker and a midfield general. They have the makings of a good team but need the aforementioned in January or it is a long season again.
Fulham fans
Ian: Fulham were very lacklustre. Everton deserved the win and could have scored more. There are many issues currently frustrating fans. Something has failed since the close season, and the players need to find the fight as it is going to be a long, hard season.
James: I don't know what to say. Once again, they completely fell apart and did not perform. Fulham cannot keep going like this if they want to stay in the Premier League.
Nikolai: Weak. Poor defending and too many in forward positions are not decisive enough. Kevin looks out of his comfort zone in the Premier League and we are missing a good striker. No offence to Raul Jimenez, but we are not dangerous enough going forward. The relegation battle will be on soon enough.
Mike: Things need to change - and fast. We desperately need a decent striker because the ones we have got are not Premier League class. It might also be time for a change of manager. I love Marco Silva to bits, but I believe he has taken us as far as he can. It is really looking like it is going to be a desperate fight to stop relegation.
Everton 2-0 Fulham: What Moyes saidpublished at 17:57 GMT 8 November
17:57 GMT 8 November
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Everton boss David Moyes, speaking to BBC Match Of The Day after their 2-0 victory over Fulham: "I thought we played well enough to win the game, but Fulham were a threat. We warranted the win. While it was 1-0, Fulham were a threat. I thought we grew back into the game and got the second goal. Today was tight but we just about deserved it."
On Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's impressive performance: "By the way, he has been fantastic for us. He has played so well and helped us play better this season."
On Thierno Barry: " I was actually very pleased with him today. Today was one of his better games. He is just getting used to the Premier League and the intensity."
Did you know?
Since the start of 2020-21, only Gabriel Magalhaes (18) has scored more goals among defenders in the Premier League than Everton's Michael Keane (13).
Analysis: Patience pays off for Toffeespublished at 17:44 GMT 8 November
17:44 GMT 8 November
Image source, Getty Images
Everton manager David Moyes was cutting a frustrated presence on the touchline by the time fourth official Ben Toner indicated six minutes of added time at the end of the first half, but his mood would soon improve.
His team had created by far the better opportunities against Marco Silva's side, but a combination of wayward finishing and the linesman's flag had kept the Cottagers on level terms.
Summer signing Thierno Barry, who retained his place in Moyes' starting line-up despite a glaring miss against Sunderland on Monday, is desperate for a first Premier League goal so would have been cursing his luck for having an effort chalked off after Iliman Ndiaye strayed offside from Idrissa Gueye's low cross.
French striker Barry should have seized an earlier chance when he rose unmarked to meet Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's cross earlier in the half, sending his header high over the bar.
Defender James Tarkowski, who had a close-range volley disallowed, was denied by the crossbar not long after that, but Fulham were unable to clear their lines and Gueye pounced to finally put the home side in front.
The second half would have been far more comfortable for Everton had Dewsbury-Hall's sweeping finish not been ruled out, but the Toffees needed Jordan Pickford and Ndiaye to preserve their narrow advantage with key interventions as Fulham began to commit more men forward.
Michael Keane's late effort, which appeared to come off his shoulder, settled the home fans' nerves and earned Everton their first win since beating Crystal Palace over a month ago.
Sutton's predictions: Everton v Fulhampublished at 11:40 GMT 8 November
11:40 GMT 8 November
Everton were superb in the first half hour against Sunderland and had Thierno Barry not ballooned his shot over the bar from close range at 1-0, they would've gone on to win that game.
Instead it was another reminder that they are missing a top-class centre-forward.
I feel sorry for Toffees boss David Moyes because Beto has also missed so many of the wonderful opportunities his side have created this season.
Fulham's win over bottom side Wolves last week ended a run of four straight league defeats, but it is hard to really gauge their form off that as it was only Wolves they beat.
That makes this a really tough game to predict. I don't think there are going to be loads of goals in it and I can see it ending a draw.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Fulham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Arsenal", for instance.
Everton v Fulham: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 18:57 GMT 7 November
18:57 GMT 7 November
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
Everton welcome Fulham to Merseyside on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in an intriguing clash between two sides separated by one point in the table. BBC Sport looks at some of the key themes ahead of the fixture.
Scoring goals a problem for Everton
Everton's early-season optimism is starting to subside after just one win in eight matches across all competitions.
Monday's 1-1 draw at Sunderland encapsulated many of their recent issues. The Toffees dominated the early exchanges and took the lead with a stunning effort from Iliman Ndiaye, but they failed to capitalise on several chances before the Black Cats took control and equalised.
"I think after 30 minutes, I'd have been disappointed to be only going home with a point," said manager David Moyes after the game. "After 90 minutes I was quite pleased with a point."
Scoring has been an obvious problem for Everton this season and strikers Beto and Thierno Barry – who missed a golden chance on Monday – have just one Premier League goal between them. Top scorer Ndiaye has just four.
The result was also the 10th draw of Moyes' second spell in charge and since he returned to club in January they have registered the most of any Premier League side.
However, the Scot has an excellent personal record against Fulham and is seeking his 20th Premier League win over them in his 33rd career meeting (W19, D4, L9). Victory would make the 62-year old just the third manager to win 20 or more times against a single club in the division, following Sir Alex Ferguson, who did it against eight different teams, and Arsene Wenger, who did it against four.
Own goals lead the way for Fulham
Finding the back of the net has also been an issue for Fulham during this campaign.
The Cottagers' top scorer this season is "own goal" with three and that accounts for 25% of their top-flight total. Harry Wilson and Ryan Sessegnon are next on the list with two goals apiece, while strikers Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz have one each.
The win ended a run of four successive league defeats, but all three of their victories this season have come at home. Their last top-flight victory on the road was in May last season when they came from 2-1 down to beat Brentford 3-2 and set a new record Premier League points tally of 54.
However, Fulham have enjoyed success when travelling to face Everton in recent seasons and they are unbeaten in five previous visits. It is worth noting that each of those positive results have come at Goodison Park and this is their first trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
"It's going to be the first time, the first experience for us in that stadium," said Fulham's head coach and former Everton boss Marco Silva. "You can feel it, you can see it, that it's been very, very good for them in that aspect, and we are going to embrace the challenge of playing there against a good side."
Moyes on Ndiaye, Grealish England omission and returning Silvapublished at 14:52 GMT 7 November
14:52 GMT 7 November
Adwaidh Rajan BBC Sport journalist
Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Moyes confirmed Iliman Ndiaye is fit and has trained as normal after the winger was withdrawn in Monday's 1-1 draw at Sunderland with cramp, having scored his fourth goal of the season earlier in the game.
Addressing rumours linking Ndiaye with a move away, the Everton boss said it would be "wrong for teams not to talk about" forward because of the form he is in for the Toffees.
Moyes said he was pleased with Jack Grealish's displays since his loan move from Manchester City, despite the forward missing out on an England call-up for November's World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, saying it is up to Thomas Tuchel to "decide what he wants".
However, the Everton manager said he would like Grealish "to add to his tally of assists and score a couple of goals more" to help the club.
Moyes admitted that attacking output from strikers Beto and Thierno Barry "hasn't been good enough" but added that the former's goals in the second half of last season were one of the main reasons why the club are still in the Premier League.
He added: "We are putting them under pressure to score goals as well. We need to give them that confidence and belief. But they have to give some back as well because they have to show us what they can do to earn the jersey."
Moyes also said Tyler Dibling needs to "up his levels in training" to step into the starting line-up and believes the £40m Everton paid Southampton for the 19-year-old winger in the summer "is not that big a fee in the Premier League".
Moyes hoped the club would be "busy" in the January transfer window and will "look around to see what is possible."
Finally, Moyes said Fulham boss Marco Silva, who had a one-and-half-year stint at Everton, has done "a brilliant job" for the Cottagers, who have build "a really good side over the past few seasons".
Tuchel names England squad published at 10:21 GMT 7 November
10:21 GMT 7 November
Image source, Getty Images
England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his 25-man squad for the final time this year ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
The Three Lions have already secured qualification.
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle).
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).
Gossip: Everton keen on Man Utd's Mainoopublished at 07:33 GMT 7 November
07:33 GMT 7 November
Everton, Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the other clubs interested in 20-year-old Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. (Caught Offside), external
Is Coleman the ultimate faithful? Your Everton round table choicespublished at 13:44 GMT 6 November
13:44 GMT 6 November
Image source, Getty Images
With the countdown to the Celebrity Traitors final under way, we asked you which Everton player or manager - past or present - would make the best traitor and faithful.
Here are some of your comments:
Dan: Seamus Coleman would 100% be the most faithful. I imagine Jack Grealish, with his cheeky, loveable nature, could easily be a really good traitor and be able to convince others he is a faithful.
Josef: Grealish as a traitor because everyone loves him and James Tarkowski as a faithful.
Timothy: Iliman Ndiaye surely the best traitor? He would dance his way round questions and be fun and happy - completely not suspicious.
Phil: Faithful, from the current squad, has to be Captain Coleman (with an honourable mention to Jordan Pickford!). Traitor... surely someone who has made the switch across Stanley Park: Nicky Barmby? Abel 'Captain Neptune' Xavier?
Daniel: Faithful - Dixie Dean. Traitor - Nick Barmby. No explanation required for either choice!
Who would make the best Everton traitor and faithful?published at 15:56 GMT 5 November
15:56 GMT 5 November
Image source, BBC/Studio Lambert
Challenges. Leaders and followers. Tactics. Second guessing and wondering where to turn next.
This could be any game of football in the Premier League this weekend.
It is also the plot to any episode of BBC's hit show - The Traitors.
The countdown to the end game of the Celebrity series is on, but, while we wait for that, we want to know which Everton player (or manager) - past or present - you think would make the best traitor, and who would be more suited to the role of a faithful.
Was it the way they could appear at the back post without anyone noticing? Or could they stop anybody getting past them?
Gossip: Toffees rule out Branthwaite exit in Januarypublished at 07:44 GMT 5 November
07:44 GMT 5 November
Everton will not sell £70m-rated England defender Jarrad Branthwaite in January, despite interest from Manchester United in the 23-year-old. (Teamtalk), external
