After claiming a point away at Chelsea on Sunday as the underdogs, Everton Women will return to Goodison Park on Wednesday night as odds-on favourites when they welcome WSL 2 outfit Durham to Merseyside in the Subway Players Cup.
From two big WSL games against Manchester United and Sonia Bompastor’s side, which produced two draws and a pair of battling, well-organised displays, Scott Phelan will now be afforded a chance to refocus his team to a more attacking mindset as the Blues go in search of a fourth
straight win in the competition.
And while the head coach will be taking no chances against the WSL 2’s bottom side, it certainly offers an opportunity for a number of young stars to showcase their worth, as well as those players who have not featured as much as they would have liked in the starting XI.
Rylee Foster-Inman is more than likely to replace Courtney Brosnan in between the sticks, as has been the custom for Everton in the Subway Players Cup so far, while Megan Finnigan should feature at the heart of defence.
Full-back Maz Pacheco, who has been used further forward in the last two league games, could assume her more usual role while Hannah Blundell – the team’s standout performer against both Chelsea and the Red Devils – may be rested given the Toffees fixture away at Tottenham Hotspur this coming weekend.
Aurora Galli should play a greater role in proceedings than the Italian has done in the WSL, while Hannah Cain, Jutta Rantala and Noemie Mouchon will be chomping at the bit to try and increase their goal tallies at the expense of Durham.
Academy graduates Zara Plano, Divine Obida and Amy Pracy were all named amongst the substitutes when Everton defeated Sheffield United in their last cup game, with the latter two making their senior debuts.
Whether Phelan hands any of his youth prodigies their first start in the senior XI remains to be seen.
The Opposition
It will be an emotional reunion for Durham head coach Willie Kirk, who spent three years in charge of the Toffees, and defeated neighbours Liverpool in his debut game.
But the 48-year-old will have a battle on his hands with his side yet to claim a single point in either league or cup this season.
With just eight league goals scored in seven games, Durham have even bigger issues at the back with 24 conceded, six more than the division’s second leakiest defence.
The Players Cup has been no less kind, with Kirk’s team losing 5-1 at home to WSL 2 leaders Newcastle last time out, with Birmingham City, Burnley and Manchester United all claiming three points against them.
Beth Hepple tops her team’s scoring charts with three goals but has yet to score in the cup so far, although former Chelsea forward Lucy Watson has registered twice in this competition.
Veteran defender Sarah Wilson also has two goals to her name, and will be one Everton will have to watch on set-pieces if they are to maintain their 100% record in the cup and take a further step towards qualification to the knockout stages.
What To Expect?
A WSL team yet to drop a point in the Subway Players Cup this season versus a club rooted to the bottom of both tables, everything points to a home win in this one.
But Everton fans no all too well how unpredictably cruel football can be and Durham will at some point end their losing streak.
Phelan and his starting XI will need to make sure that Goodison Park won’t be the venue where it happens.
Everton Women take on Durham at the Grand Old Lady on Wednesday, 11 November, at 7pm GMT (2pm ET, 11am PT).
Tickets for the clash are still available here.
