Match Preview
Sean Dyche has indicated that the three new summer signings yet to be handed their full Everton debuts will be in the team to face Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup tomorrow.
Just like last year, the Blues will be looking to use a cup tie against League Two Rovers to spark their league campaign into life following back-to-back defeats to start the season and, coincidentally, it’s the same opposition as a year ago, albeit this time at Goodison Park.
That time, two of Everton’s 2023 summer signings, Arnaut Danjuma and Beto, came off the bench and scored their first goals for the Club against the Yorkshire side at Eco-Power Stadium and Dyche will be hoping for a similar impact from the likes of Jesper Lindstrøm and Iliman Ndiaye.
The attacking pair were introduced at Tottenham on Saturday in an attempt to salvage something from a 2-0 deficit but while Ndiaye showed some really nice touches on the ball and Lindstrøm had the team’s only shot on target in the match, the Toffees ended up on the end of a 4-0 thrashing.
Dyche is facing mounting criticism from fans for refusing to start his new signings, which include defender Jake O’Brien who has yet to see any minutes, with only Tim Iroegbunam selected in the line-up so far because of injury to James Garner.
However, it looks as though all four will play in tomorrow evening’s Second Round tie under the lights in L4.
“[I]t is fair to say we are going to have to use players to get them fit and fit for task,” the manager said. “The players have come in and had not as many minutes game-time wise. So, we are obviously going to be playing some of those players, but I’ll certainly be putting out a team that I believe can win.
“I just want to see good performances. People laying down markers. If they haven’t been playing, they got to lay down a marker and make sure you’re playing on Saturday [against Bournemouth].
“It’s a message I say generally. Every day is a chance to show us what you can do, whether it’s in training or in a game. Obviously, games are more relevant because it’s a more visually measurable part of what we do, but even in training players lay down marks.
“They keep that high level consistency. We think they’re pushing. We want players to do that every day, but of course when games come around, show us what you can do. That’s what you want, especially the new players because they have only had a limited time with us.”
O’Brien can also expect to start, therefore, perhaps in place of James Tarkowski who has been managing a minor hamstring complaint while Beto will be hoping to also be in the starting XI as he presses his case for more minutes.
Dyche will likely hand opportunities to some of Everton’s up-and-coming Academy players, with Roman Dixon a good candidate to keep his place at right back where he can build on a hugely encouraging display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after being thrown into the deep end against a talented Spurs attack.
Meanwhile, another very promising teenager, Harrison Armstrong, made a late cameo to get his first senior appearance and he, too, could feature against Doncaster, as could Jenson Metcalfe who has only been an un-used substitute so far.
Rovers gave Everton an almighty scare a year ago and came very close to an upset and they will travel this time with little to prove against top-flight opposition.
They have made a good start to their League Two campaign, winning two of their first three matches.
Kick-off: 7:45pm, Tuesday 27 August, 2024
Last Time: Everton 2 – 0 Doncaster Rovers (FA Cup, January 1985)
Predicted Line-up: Virginia, Dixon, Keane, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Gueye, Iroegbunam, Lindstrøm, McNeil, Ndiaye, Beto
This game is being streamed via Sky Sports+ in the UK (Channel 412 and the Red button, also on the Sky Sports App on smartphones and tablets)