Everton team news: Sean Dyche rings the changes for EFL Cup tie and welcomes back two key players from injury
Everton vs Doncaster: Sean Dyche has brought in a few new faces for the EFL Cup tie.
Sean Dyche has named a strong Everton starting XI for the visit of Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Cup tonight.
After a dismal second-successive Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, Dyche has opted to ring the changes in an attempt to register a much-needed victory at Goodison Park. In come a trio of summer signings as Jake O’Brien, Jesper Lindstrom and Iliman Ndiaye all get full debuts while Tim Iroegbunam also continues his run in the side after signing from Aston Villa.
Other notable changes come at both ends of the pitch, with Beto being given his first start of the season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin dropping out of the side. He netted his first goal for the club against Doncaster last season in his first appearance and will be hoping for a repeat performance. Jordan Pickford continues in goal while the backline features Michael Keane once again with Vitalyi Mykolenko at left-back.
Seamus Coleman has returned from injury after missing the opening two games with the veteran replacing academy graduate Roman Dixon after he made his full Everton debut in the defeat at Tottenham. With Nathan Patterson still absent, Coleman’s return is timely with Ashley Young still suspended for league action.
There’s also a return for James Garner who was a key figure for Dyche last season. He made 34 starts and he returns after missing the start of the season with a calf injury. Starting next to Ireogbunam, it’s a chance to see a new-look midfield duo in action.
In terms of their opponents tonight, the Yorkshire outfit sit sixth in League Two and arrive in good spirits with two wins in three league games - beating Morecambe narrowly at the weekend. They also triumphed over Salford in the first round of the cup and tonight’s matchup is a repeat of last year’s second round game at Doncaster’s Eco-Power stadium where Everton edged a 2-1 win.
Rovers’ boss Grant McCann is without 39-year-old skipper Richard Wood for the next couple of months while duo James Maxwell and Ben Close are ruled out as well. They were boosted by the return of Kyle Hurst who came off the bench after a calf concern in the weekend’s win and Everton will have to be on watch for EFL veteran Billy Sharp who has netted two goals in four games this season.
Everton team: Pickford; Coleman, O’Brien, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam, Lindstrom, Ndiaye, McNeil, Beto.