David Moyes looking concerned and Mansfield Town badge in circular frame
(Credit: Imago)
Declan Carr
Tue 26 August 2025 10:00, UK
Everton will host Mansfield Town as their Carabao Cup campaign gets underway on Wednesday.
David Moyes‘ side enter the competition in the second round with this their second match at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton beat Brighton 2-0 in their opening game at the stadium, with Jack Grealish notching two assists in his home debut.
Moyes will be looking to build momentum and potentially go on a cup run, but he could rest several starters to keep them fresh for the Premier League.
Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock
Blues fans will experience their new stadium again. (Credit: Imago)
Supercomputer makes prediction that Everton fans will love
The Toffees were eliminated from the Carabao Cup before Moyes returned to Goodison Park last season, with Southampton besting them on penalties in the third round.
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However, the Opta Analyst supercomputer believes that they should not face any issues against the League One side.
The model gives the hosts an 89.6 per cent chance of victory on 27 August, with the visitors having just a 3.6 per cent chance of securing an upset.
Meanwhile, a draw is the second most likely outcome with a 6.8 per cent chance.
Result Prediction
Everton win 89.6%
Draw 6.8%
Mansfield win 3.6%
The supercomputer’s predicition for the clash.
Can Everton finally win a trophy?
The Blues have not won a trophy since the 1995 FA Cup, when they beat Manchester United at Wembley.
Moyes and Co. will be desperate to end that drought and bring a trophy back to the blue half of Merseyside.
However, is that a realistic aim right now?
Reached the Carabao Cup quarter-final in three of the last six seasons
Round three exit three times in that period
Never won the competition
They will fancy their chances, given the fact that Newcastle won the competition last season and Tottenham also ended a long drought with the Europa League title.
Anything can happen in a cup competition, teams need luck sometimes, and if it goes the right way for Everton, then there is no reason that they cannot win it.
Moyes needs to ensure that the team he selects gets the job done against Nigel Clough’s side, and then they can focus on potentially looking to win the whole thing.
The best approach is to take it game by game, and if a run to the final comes about, then so be it.
The Merseysiders have gamechangers like Iliman Ndiaye and Grealish, but whether they will be used this early in the competition remains to be seen.
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