Everton V Manchester City

[Risky]

Would have stuck with Duffy myself, but I can understand the logic in putting Hibbert in.  I do worry about Heitinga and Hibbert's ability to deal with Dzeko in the air though.

[marky v]

Jesus that defence is a disgrace,

hope to be proved wrong and we get a clean sheet

[bryan]

Mancini has his best squad on the pitch tonight.  Three points are a huge ask from this match.

[Silas]

If Hibbert doesn't have a stormer Moyes has opened himself to all sorts of criticism, shame as the rest of the side is very good.

[Risky]

If Hibbert doesn't have a stormer Moyes has opened himself to all sorts of criticism, shame as the rest of the side is very good.

I don't think he needs to have a stormer, but if he's at fault for any goals (and we lose) then he'll be getting slaughtered for it.

[Gash]

Feel sorry for Duffy, he's done well enough since being put in.

[blueToffee]

I feel for Duffy, sometimes it seems we only play youth when there is no other able bodied senior team player who can be shoehorned into the spot in question.

I don't think Hibbert is necessarily a bad option there (although two short CBs is a bit worrying), but the bigger problem I really think moves like this can potentially torpedo a young player's confidence. He has made a couple of mistakes but they clearly aren't the reason he is being dropped, case in point Jags for a lot of this season...in fact Jags has at times played a lot worse.

Moyes could stand to have a little more faith in a player who has stepped up well I feel.

[Bacarelle]

I feel for Duffy, sometimes it seems we only play youth when there is no other able bodied senior team player who can be shoehorned into the spot in question.

I don't think Hibbert is necessarily a bad option there (although two short CBs is a bit worrying), but the bigger problem I really think moves like this can potentially torpedo a young player's confidence. He has made a couple of mistakes but they clearly aren't the reason he is being dropped, case in point Jags for a lot of this season...in fact Jags has at times played a lot worse.

Moyes could stand to have a little more faith in a player who has stepped up well I feel.

This.

Plenty of people would be glad to see the back of Hibbert (me included) and so why he justifies a place when Duffy has done as least as well as those he has replaced is a mystery.

No doubt if we win (or even draw) all that will be glossed over, but it does raise serious questions about why Moyes picks Hibbert and Neville in advance of younger players with more potential !

[CarlosAlberto]

Bad decision. How the hell is a player supposed to get experience of playing against the bigger teams if he is dropped for dwarf right back?

[Shogun]

Subs: Mucha, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios, Forshaw, Duffy, Baxter

[Outworlder47]

Everton XI: Howard, Neville, Hibbert, Heitinga, Baines, Donovan, Fellaini, Gibson, Drenthe, Cahill, Stracqualursi
Subs: Mucha, Duffy, Forshaw, Barkley, Gueye, Baxter, Vellios

Man City XI: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Nasri, Barry, Milner, Nasri, Aguero, Dzeko
Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Savic, De Jong, Johnson, Razak

Not a whole lot of attacking options for Mancini off the bench. If we nick a goal early, we've got a great chance for 3 points.

[Polledreng]

Subs: Mucha, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios, Forshaw, Duffy, Baxter

no experience there - and Pienaar on Spurs bench

[Thornton_19]

Young bench there! Would be nice for one of them to come on and make a name for themself

[Ross]

I can understand it myself and actually expected it. If Duffy had a nightmare against City tonight it could set him back months, they move the ball around quickly and thats not his strengths anyway. As for worrying about Dzeko he's a bit like Crouch in the air (poor mainly) so City keep it moving on the ground and Hibbert can deal with that.

Tough call from Moyes but the right one in my opinion, but I do hope he's back in for Wigan.

[kunal32]

I'm baffled as to why he's dropped Duffy.