Sunderland could face Manchester City playmaker David Silva firing on all cylinders next week.
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The New Year has brought some old bad habits though, as they were beaten 2-1 in the first-leg of this Capital One Cup semi-final at Goodison Park on January 6 and held 0-0 at the Etihad Stadium a week later.
With results going against them, Martinez finds his side sitting 12 on the Premier League table, but are still hoping to finish the campaign with a spot in the Europa League.
Willy Caballero admits it’s “impossible” to dislodge Joe Hart as Manchester City’s No 1 goalkeeper as he tries to help Manuel Pellegrini’s side reach Wembley on Wednesday night. If we focus just on Lukaku then maybe we make a mistake because Everton have a lot of really good players but Lukaku is top-scorer now and we have to be careful with him and also with the rest of the team as well’. “If you see we play this season in the Premier League 23 games. We said in the last press conference it is very important the way he improves in the next two weeks, but I think he will be back before then [six weeks]”. “I think that if we want to be involved in all the competitions as we are so far we need the whole squad”.
FC’s Paul Mariner waxes lyrical over Man City’s attacking prowess in their win over Crystal Palace.
Everton have won three successive away games in the League Cup this season, after losing each of their previous three.
Romelu Lukaku s 78th-minute header in the first leg means a draw will take Everton into the final, where either Liverpool or Stoke City await.
Everton will feel optimistic about their prospects of progress following a 2-1 first-leg win, but Capital One Cup semi-final double headers are conducive to recoveries. “I think we can win every game because we have an fantastic team but in some parts of the game we need to take responsibility and concentrate more”.
“There is nothing better than going into games on a winning run, when you are feeling confident, but that s where we are at the moment”.
One positive for Everton against Swansea was the return of full-back Seamus Coleman after three games out with a calf injury, even if the Irishman did volley a glorious stoppage-time chance over the bar.
Midfielder Muhamed Besic (hamstring) and forward Kevin Mirallas (tendon) have been ruled out, while Joel Robles will replace Tim Howard in goal.
Two more goals for the Argentine saved his team at West Ham on Saturday and took his tally in 2016 to six from six games.
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“The injury situation is exactly the same as last week – Eliaquim Mangala, Vincent Komapny, Aleksander Kolarov, Wilfried Bony and Samir Nasri”.
