Carabao Cup Preview
Everton turn once again to the Carabao Cup for a potential lift in their fortunes and a platform on which to build a revival in the Premier League after four straight defeats as they welcome Southampton to Goodison Park this evening.
This third round tie brings together the two teams yet to pick up a point in the league so far this season and where the Blues and manager Sean Dyche are concerned, it has to be viewed as an opportunity to inject some confidence into the veins after two psychologically brutal 3-2 defeats.
Dyche has intimated that, just as he did in the last round against Doncaster, he will make changes to his team and field some players who are in need of minutes to either boost or maintain their fitness.
That is likely to mean only a second start for Jake O’Brien and Jesper Lindstrøm, while Abdoulaye Doucouré could also be in the starting XI for the first time since the 4-0 hammering at Tottenham on 24th August with Beto leading the line.
Seamus Coleman is expected to miss out with the knock he sustained on international duty, Vitalii Mykolenko will be assessed after coming off in the first half at Villa Park Saturday complaining of illness, and neither Nathan Patterson nor Jarrad Branthwaite are ready having only just resumed full training.
There could be an opportunity, therefore, for Roman Dixon to get more experience, either from the start or as a substitute, while deadline-day signing Orel Mangala is expected to make his full debut in midfield, possibly alongside James Garner.
Saints boss Russell Martin is also likely to make changes of his own, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis a possible starter while he has confirmed that forward Ross Stewart will be introduced off the bench at some stage as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after injury.
The south coast side demonstrated in the last round that they can score goals when they put five past Cardiff in a 5-3 win in Wales, a game in which Cameron Archer, a player with “previous” against Everton, scored a brace.
Dyche will remind his players of what was, eventually, a handsome win over Doncaster as evidence of what they can do as he seeks to lift them ahead of a hugely important fixture against Leicester City this coming weekend.
Kick-off: 7:45 pm, Tuesday 17 September 2024
Last Time: Everton 1 – 1 Southampton (3-4 on pens) — October 2018
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Dixon, Keane, O’Brien, Young, Mangala, Garner, Lindstrom, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Beto