Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist share Everton verdict live on talkSPORT ahead of Fulham clash
Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist have both offered their verdict ahead of the clash between Everton and Fulham in the Carabao Cup, suggesting the Toffees have a good chance of winning the tournament.
Sean Dyche’s side welcome Fulham to Goodison Park on Tuesday 19 December for their quarter-final clash and the Toffees are in excellent form, having won every one of their last four Premier League matches.
While the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United all remain in the competition, Stelling has suggested that Everton have an excellent chance of lifting the trophy this season, given the early exits of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Speaking on talkSPORT (19 December, 7:27) he said: “What a chance for all of them with no Manchester City and no Arsenal and no Manchester United, mind you Newcastle have put most of them out so far.”
McCoist was quick to agree, saying: “Mind you, you look at Everton and Fulham. Everton, they’re on a great run, I think Everton and Sean Dyche will really fancy that tournament.”
Fancy their chances
The best teams in competitions very rarely win cups, often instead the most effective or hard-to-beat sides are the teams that eventually lift silverware at the end of the competition and Everton will be hoping that they can be exactly that this season.
Few teams in the Premier League are in better current form than the Toffees who seem to find a way to win every game that they play in the last few weeks. It might not always be the prettiest performances, but Dyche’s team are incredibly well-drilled and tend to find a way to win.
Premier League safety may not yet be assured, but it isn’t too far away already as Everton have already made back the points from their 10-point deduction and now then can begin to look up the table. Focus won’t be solely on the Carabao Cup, but the Toffees can afford to play a strong side against Fulham.
Once you’re in the semi-finals of a tournament, you’ve got just as good a chance as anybody else of being the team to lift the trophy come the end of the season. As Stelling and McCoist said, some big teams have already fallen by the wayside this season so there is absolutely no reason why the Toffees shouldn’t fancy their chances.
In other Everton news, Kevin Campbell has accused the Premier League of not wanting the Toffees to qualify for Europe this season