Hope that Allan won't face long lay-off

Gbamin could be the answer, but we don't know how he will recover from that dreadful injury or when he will be performing to a level to play in the first team. Gomes has not recovered to an equivalent level from his injury yet, technically or physically.

I would slip Holgate into the defensive midfield role and replace him at right-back with Jonjoe Kenny, Godfrey has been excellent so far in the left-back role, so I would keep him there at present.

Phil and Keith, no thanks on Kenny. Do NOT change the backline under any circumstances... not after two straight clean sheets. I hope and expect Carlo will go 4-1-4-1 if necessary with Doucouré as the holding mid, ad libbing any way necessary with the rest of the midfield, but keep those four CBs exactly where they are, thank you. In the midst of all these injuries, for god's sakes don't change the one thing that's working great.

There is a high possibility Coleman will be ready on weekend against Arsenal...

It is very interesting to see what Carlo Ancelotti will do?

I didn't see the game so can't comment about Gomes, but I do feel that we'd be better off with Tom replacing Allan for now.

I agree with Mike that the back 4 should not be touched... when a manager stumbles upon a winning formula, keeping clean sheets, change as little as possible. Having said that, Mason was brilliant in his midfield cameos last season.

Steady as she goes, one game at a time, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I'd prefer to see Davies or, as some suggest, Holgate.

No doubting Allan is a huge loss.

On another note if Digne, Coleman and James we’re fit tomorrow, there’d be an argument that none of them get straight back in the team. I wouldn’t have predicted that before the Chelsea game.

As long as Doucouré stays fit, then I have no problem with Gomes filling in or Tom Davies.

And Bobby, let's give Gbamin a chance to prove his fitness.

As the dust settles on the game last night, I think Sigurdsson played better than I gave him credit for. He didn't create anything much but he did keep showing for the ball, was disciplined in protecting the flanks, making himself available as a passing option and cutting out passing options. So he probably was a key part of our defensive strangehold on the game – and he was probably the most likely to make something happen along with Iwobi.

So it’s Gomes or Davies who replaces him. Davies has, vaguely, more similarities to Allan than Gomes does. But Gomes is stronger and can shield the ball better than Davies.

I would come down on the Tom Davies side of the fence, he has looked improved a bit this season and may well take his opportunity to impress. Gomes has looked still not sharp enough and not up to speed. Looked, to an extent, not on the same page energy wise as the rest of the team.

One of our transfer priorities should be sourcing a young “Allan” with huge potential to become as good. I think Brands needs to be looking long and hard to sign that young midfielder in the summer.

I wouldn't say that he was good though when he came on but Carlo has to try talk him up for the player's confidence given he is likely to be needed in the next few weeks.

Poor Gbamin is very unlucky, none of us can say if he is the answer or not because we have barely seen him play.

Have we found out what is going on with nkounkou yet? I wonder if there has been some discipline issues not released to the press (which I like if so as it means the dressing room is a closed shop and can be trusted).

I wanted 7 possibly 9 points from the games leading up to Chelsea and we got 4, so 6 from 6 against the latest 2 means we are about where I thought we would be anyway. As frustrating as it is with the inconsistency, at least we are still competing up close to the top 4. Long may it continue.

'Have we found out what is going on with Nkounkou yet? I wonder if there has been some discipline issues not released to the press.'

Carlo twatted that one away this very week:

Carlo-No Problem With Nkoukou

I just hope Carlo goes with our strongest and fittest line-up against Man Utd in the Cup, a great chance to get into a semi-final and beyond.

As from today, he can name nine subs on the bench, so it looks like, with taking into account injuries, the entire squad will be involved on a match day.

Also, Ancelotti said that he thought Coleman would be ready for the Arsenal game. Does he leave the back 4 that played last night unchanged or is it possible he brings back Seamus and moves Mason Holgate to cover for Allan?

We are entering a very busy period and Ancelotti has said that Calvert-Lewin, who has played every game, will need a rest. Also, I think Keane has started every game.

I don't envy Carlo having to give players a break while having to cope with injuries and suspensions, while not weakening the starting line-up too much.

I don't see Tosun being an alternative to Calvert-Lewin; the only option is move Richarlison to give him a break, the trouble with that scenario is we lose so much that Richarlison gives us out wide plus tracking back.

Will it mean changing formation as well as players when he rotates during the holiday, or can we get another striker in early in January? Just makes allowing Kean to go on loan very strange, especially with not bringing in a replacement.

Leaves us with a dilemma for Allan's place which we could bring Kenny in and play Mason as the holding midfielder. We will need strength in midfield against Arsenal and Gomes doesn't cut it for me.

Is Xhaka ruled out because of his red card and I think Gabriel is too so the 3 points are there for us to have a go at winning 3 in a row.

Yes, I think you are right, I mentioned it on another Everton website and one fan said he thought the injury versus West Ham was more of a groin strain, so much simpler.

Pity, he will be missed more than most, especially in that central midfield position.

I don't know the full story, but Kean never played much last season, and if that was going to be the case again, then that would have been really bad for the youngster's development. That must have also been taken into consideration before he was allowed to leave.

It's a bit like Danny Williamson back in the 90's. If he is passed fit next month, its going to be at least a year (if at all) before he is anywhere near the quality that he's meant to have been when we signed him.

Just look at Gomes, he's still struggling to get back to his pre-injury level and he was only out for a few months.

Doucouré did a good job covering as the main defensive midfielder when Allan went off. So I think he'll try and stick with a winning team.

Loving having Holgate back in the team as has that bit of needle we need in the back 4 and so wouldn't want to change it around when we've started looking so solid at the back. If we are struggling in midfield to get control, then bring Coleman on and maybe push Holgate in there.

Big call for Carlo he needs to get this right. A midfield with Gomes and Siggy is too slow, and Doucoure can’t do everything back there.

We’ll see.