Not too late for Grealish to make World Cup squad

Jack Grealish celebrated his first goal for Everton with the late winner against Crystal Palace (Picture: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Everton have developed a reputation for being Premier League also-rans but the combination of David Moyes’ nous and the move to their new Hill Dickinson home at Bramley-Moore Dock on the Mersey is turning round the Toffees’ fortunes.

Sunday’s 2-1 victory over an extremely impressive Crystal Palace side swiftly imposing themselves as the poster boys for perennial mid-table clubs with ambitions of regularly breaking into the top six, was a significant moment.

Everton, of course, used to be regarded as one of English football’s so-called ‘Big Six’ but have not mixed in such rarified company for a many a year yet their ranks are rammed with players fighting to be included in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is a certainty to be picked having won an extremely credible 78 caps for the Three Lions but the picture is not quite so clear for some of his club-mates.

Jack Grealish is quite rightly earning rave reviews since being snapped up on loan for the season from Manchester City and he grabbed the injury-time winner against the Eagles on Sunday.

It was his first goal of the season but he has four assists, has created 17 chances and has had ten shots on goal. He’s the type of skilled technician like Glenn Hoddle, Stan Bowles, Alan Hudson, Rodney Marsh and more recently Matt Le Tissier who have been largely undervalued by their country because of a perceived lack of graft, or because their maverick styles mean they do not fit into the manager’s plans.

Grealish, like his predecessors, possesses the individuality and unexpected touch to create something out of nothing and has been told by Tuchel the door is open for him to be part of the final squad if he maintains hiseye-catching form.

Jarrad Branthwaite has attracted interested from top Premier League clubs (Picture: AMA/Getty Images)

There’s a glut of midfield talent which stands in his way including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and others who could all be on the plane crossing the Atlantic.

Grealish can force his way into the midfield equation though and is evens with bet365 to make the cut alongside classy Everton centre-half Jarrad Branthwaite, who is 6/4 with BetVictor despite not featuring yet this season due to injury.

James Garner, who can fill a number of roles including left-back, has an outside chance at 14/1 with bet365 but the tournament looks too early for promising Tyler Dibling, who is the same price with the same firm.

Former England and Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has emerged as the surprising favourite to be the next manager at Luton after the League One Hatters sacked Matt Bloomfield.

He is evens to get the job while former Southampton boss Russell Martin, sacked after flopping in Glasgow with Rangers, is 6/1 with the same firm.

The best bet for club and punters could be former Wolves and Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil at 10/1, which is also with BetVictor.

World No.1 Luke Humphries was in scintillating form as he beat Nathan Aspinall 2-0 in the first round of the World Grand Prix in Leicester which has a double in, double out format.

‘Cool Hand’ Luke is 5/2 with Betfred, StarSports and Bresbet to triumph 3-1 over Krzysztof Ratajski while Stephen Bunting was equally ruthless against German teenager Niko Springer.