Everton play host to League One outfit Mansfield Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup tonight.
The Toffees reached the quarter-finals of the competition last year before exiting in a penalty shootout to Fulham.
David Moyes is expected to name a much-changed starting line-up from the Brighton clash, with a trip to Wolves on the horizon this weekend.
Jack Grealish has hinted that he will feature against Mansfield, with the Manchester City loanee in need of minutes to get up to full match fitness.
Ahead of the game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Nigel Clough has made a brutally honest admission about the Everton squad.
Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough makes honest claim about Everton’s squad
Speaking to the media ahead of Mansfield’s trip to Everton, Clough explained that David Moyes’ reserves would win nine times out of 10.
“I think there is a belief that we can put on a performance, the way we have been playing recently and see where that takes us.
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“We’re very realistic about it and we know that Everton’s reserves would beat us nine times out of 10, probably.”
Clough also added that he’s relishing the chance to visit a new ground: “All of a sudden we’re going to be playing in front of 50,000, new stadium, it’ll be a wonderful experience for the players.
“That really makes it, the stadium, because we’re the first team in history to play a competitive cup game there, nobody has been to the ground and we don’t know if we’ll ever have the opportunity to go again, certainly in a competitive way, so it’s a brilliant tie.”
Justin Clarke and Isaac Heath could get minutes for Everton
Everton have two very exciting youngsters in Justin Clarke and Isaac Heath, who are very close to the first team.
Clarke was very impressive in pre-season, and so too was Heath, who won a penalty against Accrington Stanley.
Moyes may give the academy duo some minutes as the Toffees are still fairly light in wide areas after Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom’s departures.
Of course, all the eyes will be on new signing Tyler Dibling as he is eligible to play after his £40m transfer from Southampton was confirmed this week.
Dibling has already said he can’t wait to play with Grealish and Ndiaye, so Moyes may give him the opportunity to do so this evening.