Baines Eyeing Everton FA Cup Boost

Leighton Baines says victory for Everton in Saturday’s keenly-anticipated FA Cup trip to Millwall can kick-start the Blues’ season.

Left-back Baines was immaculate on his recall to the side for the third-round win over Lincoln City earlier this month.

Everton have won one and lost one in the Premier League since knocking out the League Two side, that mini period a microcosm of the team’s form over the past seven weeks.

Heading into December, Everton were sixth in the table and reflecting on a run of five victories and a draw from seven fixtures.

And Baines is convinced clearing a “tricky” Cup hurdle this weekend would reap twin dividends, with the confidence gleaned from Cup progress potentially spilling over into Everton’s forthcoming Premier League matches.


“It is an important game and an opportunity to build better momentum than we have done this season – the Cup will be a big part of that,” Baines told evertontv.

“We are off the back of a defeat [at Southampton] so it is a chance for us to go and win and for it to be the first game of a positive run in general.

“The Cup is very important to us and we obviously want to go there and make sure we get through.

“It is a step up from the previous round in terms of Millwall being a Championship side.

“But it is a game we can look forward to and it gives us the opportunity to be in the next round of the Cup, which is always exciting.”

Baines reached the FA Cup final with Everton in his second season at the Club in 2008-09 and has twice progressed to the semi-finals in his 11 full campaigns at Goodison Park.

He was also a League Cup finalist with former team Wigan Athletic in 2006. Baines’ only previous experience of Millwall’s raucous home at The Den came as a Wigan player back in 2004, when he finished on the right end of a 2-0 scoreline.


Millwall have already bloodied the noses of illustrious Championship trio Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa this term.

Premier League sides Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester City, meanwhile, all came unstuck at Millwall when the Lions progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals as a League One side two years ago.

They were semi-finalists in 2013 and made it all the way to the final 15 years ago.

For all the Londoners’ Cup pedigree, though, Baines is backing the quality in his team’s ranks to win the day and seal Everton's spot in round five.

Baines would make his 410th Everton appearance if selected for the game – and seventh this season.

“I have been around and played plenty of games, so the atmosphere is not something that would bother me,” added Baines.

“Going away in any Cup tie has the potential to be difficult and tricky, no matter where you go.

"It is not an easy place to go and we will be fully aware of that but we know we are a good side.

“We will prepare well, we have good players in the team and are more than capable of winning the game.”