Sunderland return to Carabao Cup action on Wednesday evening with Premier League Everton next on Simon Grayson’s agenda.
The Toffees have endured a tough start to the 2017-18 campaign but Ronald Koeman believes the Merseyside clash can be a turning point for the Toffees…
ROAD TO GOODISON
Sunderland’s young guns have led the way in the Carabao Cup this season with the Black Cats defeating Bury and Carlisle United in the early rounds. A trip to Gigg Lane on 10 August marked the Lads’ first competitive win under Grayson but they were made to work for it as the League One outfit hassled and harried throughout. The moment that mattered came in the 69th minute as George Honeyman’s superb solo strike shattered the deadlock and produced one of the moments of the season so far as the youngster fulfilled a lifelong dream. After overcoming Bury, a tie at Carlisle United came out of the hat and once again the Black Cats faced a real battle. Donald Love opened the scoring but Carlisle struck back on the hour mark as Danny Grainger tucked home the rebound after Robbin Ruiter saved his initial spot kick. But Lynden Gooch had the final say, with the USA international following in Honeyman’s footsteps by scoring his first senior goal to send the Lads into the next round.
FAMILIAR FACES
Wednesday’s game will be both a homecoming and a reunion with club connections running throughout both squads. Seven former Everton players are currently part of Simon Grayson’s set-up with Bryan Oviedo, Darron Gibson, Jack Rodwell and James Vaughan all likely to feature at their former stomping ground. Aiden McGeady – a summer signing from the Blues – won’t play a part, though, with the wing wizard yet to overcome his battle for fitness. Callum McManaman also spent time at Everton as a youngster. Brendan Galloway and Ty Browning, who are both on loan from Goodison Park, are also unavailable against their parent club. And they’ll be plenty of interest in the Everton team come 6.45pm, with the red and white army hoping to see Jordan Pickford following his summer move to Merseyside.
TEAM NEWS
Browning and Galloway won’t be the only absentees tonight, with a number of other Black Cats also set to miss out. Duncan Watmore and Aiden McGeady are unavailable although both are making good progress, with the former featuring – and scoring – for the under-23s on Saturday. Watmore will once again feature for the club’s youth side this weekend and like McGeady is nearing a return to the first-team fold. Josh Maja is also back in training. Meanwhile, Vaughan is available to face his former club and he’ll be hoping to kick on after netting his first goal last time out despite battling illness. Like Grayson, Koeman is expected to make changes for the cup clash and Maarten Stekelenburg could replace Pickford between the posts. Defenders Jonjoe Kenny and Mason Holgate and midfielders Mohamed Besic and Davy Klaassen are also pushing to be involved.
ONE BRADLEY LOWERY
Sunderland will officially launch the Bradley Lowery Foundation when the Black Cats take on Everton. Sunderland’s famous red and white shirts will sport the logo of the newly-formed foundation for the game, with the club’s principal partner, Dafabet, kindly donating the prime space in order to support the charity. Everton, who have been great supporters of the Lowery family, will also sport the logo on their shirts in place of their usual SportPesa branding, in a show of unity demonstrating the powerful effect young Bradley had on the world of football. The one-off shirts will then be signed by the players following the game at Goodison Park and auctioned by the charity to raise vital funds.
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