TEAM NEWS
Everton will be without Andre Gomes for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday as he continues his recovery from a rib injury.
Fellow midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin remains unavailable for the Blues. The Ivory Coast international has been sidelined since mid-August with a quadriceps injury.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk revealed club captain Tom Lees is unlikely to feature.
The defender has missed Wednesday’s past three matches with a hamstring injury.
KEY FACTS, STATS AND MILESTONES
Tuesday’s game will be Everton’s first meeting with Wednesday since September 2007. That game was also a League Cup third-round tie, with the Blues winning 3-0 at Hillsborough. James McFadden netted a brace and Yakubu was also on the scoresheet.
This match will be Everton’s fourth against Wednesday in the League Cup. The Toffees have won all of the previous thee matches, scoring 10 goals and conceding just once.
If Dominic Calvert-Lewin features against Wednesday, it will represent his 100th appearance for Everton in all competitions.
This will be the first time Everton have had back-to-back games against the two Sheffield clubs since April 1968. Back then, the Blues won 1-0 away at Sheffield United on 13 April, before beating Wednesday 1-0 at Goodison on 15 April. In the midst of a hectic schedule, Everton drew 0-0 with the Owls at Hillsborough one day later on 16 April.
Everton are unbeaten in their past eight matches played away from home on a Tuesday night, winning five and drawing three of those games. The Blues’ most recent Tuesday away fixture was a 3-0 Premier League win at Cardiff Ciy in February.
ONE TO WATCH: Adam Reach
A former England Under-20 international, talented winger Reach joined Sheffield Wednesday from boyhood club Middlesbrough in 2016.
He has since established himself as a key figure for the South Yorkshire club and is closing in on 150 appearances for Wednesday.
Now 26 years old, Reach’s dribbling skills and crossing ability mark him out as a key attacking outlet for the Owls.
He predominantly operates from the left wing, but can also fill in at left-back.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE: JEREMY SIMPSON
