Everton will host Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup second round on Wednesday night, with both sides eyeing a spot in the next stage.
Everton will look to continue from where they left off vs Brighton & Hove Albion this past weekend, and Mansfield Town will aim to cause an upset this midweek. The Toffees side are coming into this game on the back of a win and a defeat from the last two matches.
Everton have endured a mixed start to the season so far. The home support will hope for the team to bounce back and find their rhythm. David Moyes’s men will look to impose their quality and get the job done. However, they cannot afford to take Mansfield Town lightly.
Mansfield Town have done quite well in their recent outings, picking up vital points and delivering strong performances. The Stags have won four matches in a row in all competitions, and they will hope to capitalise on any frailties shown by Everton.
They will be determined to get to the latter stages of the EFL Cup, having beaten Chesterfield in the first round. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the upcoming meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Everton
David Moyes has injury concerns ahead of Wednesday’s clash, with Vitaliy Mykolenko recovering from a knock, Nathan Patterson suffering from a groin injury, and Jarrad Branthwaite sidelined with a thigh complaint.
Everton should line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Mansfield Town, with Jordan Pickford set to retain his place between the sticks. Seamus Coleman and Adam Aznou are likely to fill the full-back slots, while James Tarkowski partners Michael Keane pairing up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner will be tasked with controlling possession and breaking up opposition attacks. Carlos Alcaraz, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Iliman Ndiaye are expected to feature in advanced midfield roles, supporting Thierno Barry, who will lead the line for Everton against Mansfield Town.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Keane, Aznou; Gueye, Garner; Alcaraz, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry
Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town are at full strength, and they are expected to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation vs Everton on Wednesday. Liam Roberts should start in goal, behind a back four comprising Jordan Bowery, Kyle Knoyle, Baily Cargill, and Frazer Blake-Tracy.
Knoyle and Blake-Tracy will start in the full-back areas, and they will look to keep things tight at the back and help out during transitions. As for the midfield unit, Louis Reed will anchor the midfield in the holding role, offering protection for the defence, and he will start alongside Jamie McDonnell.
Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Max Dickov will operate on the wings, ready to exploit any space left by Everton. They will look to create chances for their teammates on the counter. Regan Hendry will start in the attacking Medfield role, and he will look to open up the Everton defence with his passing and vision. Will Evans will lead the line for Mansfield Town vs Everton on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roberts; Knoyle, Bowery, Cargill, Blake-Tracy; Reed, McDonell; Moriah-Welsh, Hendry, Dickov; Evans
Key Stats
Everton have one win and a defeat from their last two outings.
Mansfield Town have scored in each of their last six outings in all competitions.
The two teams last met over two decades ago, with Everton running out clear winners.
Mansfield Town have won each of their last four matches in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Thierno Barry
Embed from Getty Images
The young attacker will look to make his mark for Everton, and he is our key player to watch out for. His youthful presence could cause a lot of problems for Mansfield Town. This is a golden opportunity for Barry to make his mark against weaker opposition, and he will look to get on the score sheet here and build some confidence.
The young attacker has the technical attributes to open up chances for his teammates and find the back of the net as well. He will look to his side, reach the next round of the competition and avoid any potential upset.
Prediction
Everton 2-0 Mansfield Town
Everton are the overwhelming favourites on paper and should have enough quality to progress. Mansfield Town will make life uncomfortable for the home side, but the Toffees’ experience and depth should ultimately make all the difference. The quality in the final third should ensure Everton advance with a win here.