2019-20 Carabao Cup: Round Two – Wednesday

Having knocked Huddersfield out in the opening round, Lincoln City will be looking to cause a bigger cupset in the Second Round as they meet Everton at Sincil Bank in the Carabao Cup. 

 

Team news

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Lincoln could be without Ellis Chapman as he battles to recover from a bout of food poisoning, although Dan Cowley will ring the changes as he looks to rotate his squad. 

Everton will be without Jean-Phillipe Gbamin after the Ivory Coast international picked up a thigh injury during their defeat at Aston Villa on Friday night.

Fabian Delph is available for the first time this season after recovering from a groin injury but goalkeeper, Jonas Lossl is sidelined with a calf injury. 

 

Stat Attack

• Lincoln City have lost two previous League Cup ties with Everton, who scored four goals in both clashes.
• Lincoln have lost just one of four home meetings with Everton in all competitions (W1, D2, L1). 
• Both teams have scored in seven of eight meetings, with the only occasion in which one team drew blank coming in April 1953 when Everton won 3-0 at Goodison Park in Division Two. 
• Everton have avoided crashing out at this stage in the past 17 seasons, since losing on penalties to Crystal Palace after a 1-1 home draw in September 2001. 
• Lincoln haven’t progressed beyond this stage in their last 16 League Cup campaigns, since reaching the Third Round in 1996-97 season which they lost to Southampton after a replay. 

 

Prediction

Both Lincoln and Everton started their seasons brightly but momentum has slipped lately, which makes this match more interesting to predict. 

Everton simply weren’t clinical enough at Villa whilst Lincoln have been undone by defensive mistakes in their last two games so I definitely can see goals but defending will be decisive as to who emerges victorious. 

I therefore am going for a Toffees win simply because this is a competition which they can realistically win, and Lincoln away will provide the perfect tonic to finally get their first away goal of the season.

Prediction: Lincoln City 1-2 Everton 

Result: Lincoln City 2-4 Everton