Premier League outfits Everton and Burnley face off for a place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals at Goodison Park on Wednesday night as Sean Dyche faces his former club for the first time since being sacked in 2022.
The Everton faithful are desperate to see their side end a current 28-year run without a trophy, and a win at Aston Villa in the last round has put them in a great position to potentially have a run in this competition.
Match preview
© Reuters
With Everton among the favourites to be battling relegation in the Premier League, cup runs may not be top of the agenda at Goodison, but their recent form suggests that this season may be a little more stress-free in that department.
However, talks of a potential three, six or even in a worst-case scenario, 12-point deduction means the club will have a cloud looming over them until a decision is made by the Premier League about Everton's alleged financial breaches.
On the pitch though, Everton are showing their capabilities, and for a side which has become renowned for having such dreadful away form, manager Dyche led them to a fourth win on the road this season at West Ham United over the weekend.
The Toffees regularly found themselves near the bottom of form tables when it came to away form, but under Dyche, Everton have lost just five of their 16 away games in all competitions, with those losses coming against elite opposition such as Liverpool (twice), Arsenal, Manchester United and Aston Villa.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the match winner at the London Stadium on Sunday, and he also found the net in Everton's other away Premier League success this season, at Brentford.
Everton's run to this stage of the EFL Cup has seen them win twice on the road too, most notably against Aston Villa in the previous round, just weeks after they lost 4-0 at Villa Park in the league.
With four wins in six games, Everton can lay claim to being one of the most in-form sides in the top flight at present, as they were also unlucky in their Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool.
That form has moved them above Nottingham Forest into 15th, and five points clear of the relegation zone, giving them some breathing room to focus solely on cup matters this midweek.
The League Cup has never been a favourable competition for the club though, as it is one they are still yet to win.
Two final appearances are as close as Everton have got, but they lost to bitter rivals Liverpool in 1984 and in a second replay against Aston Villa in 1976.
Their best showings since then have seen them reach three semi-finals, but fall narrowly short against Arsenal (1988), Chelsea (2008) and Manchester City (2016).
© Reuters
Opponents Burnley come into this fixture in dire straits on the league front after yet another defeat at the weekend - their eighth of the season already.
Taking just four points from a possible 30 to start the campaign is incredibly worrying for Vincent Kompany and the Burnley supporters, as they gave Bournemouth and Andoni Iraola their first win of the season on Saturday.
Kompany's tactics came under scrutiny again, as both of Bournemouth's goals came via the Clarets losing possession in their own half when trying to play out.
Despite their hopes to play attractive, expansive football, Burnley are still yet to reach double figures for goals in the league, and they have conceded 25 to boot - a huge contrast to last season when they had the Championship's best attack and defence.
Burnley's only results so far have come against Nottingham Forest and Luton Town, but they were both away from home, as were their two successes in this competition, at Forest and Salford City.
The fourth round of the EFL Cup has been their scourge of late though, as they have exited at this stage in each of the three previous seasons, to Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
The club has never won or even reached the final of this competition, but they have reached three semi-finals, the most recent of which came in 2009, losing 6-4 to Spurs even though they came back from 4-1 down to force extra time in the second leg.
Team News
© Reuters
Ashley Young will be available for Everton once more after he served his suspension following a sending off at Anfield two weeks ago.
The veteran full-back could come in as Dyche may rotate slightly despite the good form of many of the first choice XI.
Elsewhere in defence, Michael Keane or Ben Godfrey may be in contention to come in, despite some shaky moments when being thrust into the side recently and given the form of current pairing James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Sunday's hero Calvert-Lewin is likely to be rested as Dyche will continue to protect and monitor the fitness of the injury-prone attacker, so Beto is expected to start up front.
Arnaut Danjuma will battle with Dwight McNeil, who could feature against his former club, for a starting spot on the left wing.
Idrissa Gueye is also in line for a start after losing his place in the league side recently, with one of Amadou Onana or Abdoulaye Doucoure likely to be rested.
© Reuters
Kompany has made wholesale changes in both of Burnley's EFL Cup matches so far, as well as implementing Kosovo international Arijanet Muric as the club's cup goalkeeper ahead of James Trafford.
Connor Roberts is available again after suspension, and striker Lyle Foster could also return after missing the weekend defeat through illness.
Jacob Bruun Larsen and Jay Rodriguez are both candidates to come in from the outset in attack, as the duo's only starts this season have both come solely in this competition.
Manuel Benson is the most high-profile injury absentee for the visitors, and he may miss out with a knock, while Jordan Beyer, Michael Obafemi and Hjalmar Ekdal are also sidelined.
Aaron Ramsey started in the win over Salford in the last round but, along with Darko Churlinov, the pair have not been involved in recent matchday squads.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye, Onana, Garner, Danjuma; Beto
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Muric; Vitinho, Al-Dakhil, O'Shea, Taylor; Brownhill, Cork, Berge; Gudmundsson, Rodriguez, Bruun Larsen
We say: Everton 1-1 Burnley (Everton to win on penalties)
Everton's form at home has been worrying this season while all of Burnley's results have come on the road, including two away wins in the previous two rounds.
Despite the contrast of emotions from over the weekend, this could be a close contest, with both sides set to rotate many players, and it could well go the distance.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Andrew Delaney
