Everton vs Southampton: Carabao Cup pre-match talking points

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Southampton players inspect the pitch ahead of the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Southampton players inspect the pitch ahead of the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
1 of 4
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 18: Mario Lemina of Southampton and Gylfi Sigurdsson of Everton battle for the ball the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 18: Mario Lemina of Southampton and Gylfi Sigurdsson of Everton battle for the ball the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Southampton travel to face Everton in their delayed Carabao Cup Third-Round tie this evening.

The winners of this match will face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in Round-Four. If Southampton progress, it will be their third away trip to a fellow Premier League club in the competition already.

Both sides come into the game in contrasting form but will have equal motivation for different reasons.

The fringe players at Saints will see opportunities to push themselves into regular starting roles, whilst Everton will be high on confidence after a comprehensive 3-0 win over Fulham at the weekend.

Here are three important talking ahead of the game at Goodison Park this evening: