Russell Martin takes his Southampton side to Goodison Park on Tuesday night to face Everton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Southampton and Everton are the only two teams in the Premier League yet to get a point so the Carabao Cup may be viewed as a welcome opportunity to forget about struggles in the league for both sides.
Russell Martin rung the changes as Southampton beat Cardiff City 5-3 in the last round and is expected to rotate heavily again.
However, with the Saints squad bigger than it was then after some late additions in the transfer window there are not expected to be quite as many youngsters involved as Martin eyes a confidence-building win over a relegation rival.
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Southampton team and injury news ahead of Everton clash
Martin has almost a full squad to choose from for the trip to Everton, with goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu the only guaranteed absentee.
Bazunu will be out until the new year with the Achilles injury he sustained in April and has therefore not been named in Southampton’s Premier League squad for the first half of the season.
Ross Stewart made his long-awaited return off the bench against Manchester United and Martin has confirmed the Scot will make his sixth Saints period in over a year at the club off the bench against Everton.
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Will Smallbone missed the United game with a slight issue sustained on international duty but could also be involved against the Toffees.
Kamaldeen Sulemana was named by Martin as the only injury alongside Bazunu ahead of the United game but the club have been thought to be targeting this game for a return so it will be intriguing to see if the Ghanaian makes the squad.
Southampton predicted lineup against Everton
Alex McCarthy has been replaced by Aaron Ramsdale in goal since the stopper’s £25 million arrival but is expected to return to the side in the cup.
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In front of him Martin will likely stick with a back four and could offer Armel Bella-Kotchap an olive branch following a failed summer move away alongside Nathan Wood at centre-back.
James Bree scored a stunning strike late against Cardiff in the last round and should return at right-back, with the experienced Charlie Taylor on the other side of the defence.
Lesley Ugochukwu could be the sole survivor from the side that lost to United at the weekend as Martin looks to build the Frenchman’s fitness and understanding of the number six role in this Saints side.
Ahead of him Joe Aribo could return, with Adam Lallana perhaps coming in alongside him for his first start since returning to the side.
18-year-old Sam Amo-Ameyaw scored his first senior goal against Cardiff and could return to the side for this game on the right wing.
Adam Armstrong dropped out of the starting XI for the first time since Southampton’s return to the Premier League on Saturday and did not even come on as one of the five substitutions Martin made.
The Southampton manager has confirmed that Armstrong is one of the players who will be handed ‘an opportunity’ at Everton so he should play as the centre-forward.
Maxwel Cornet made his debut off the bench in the United loss and could play from the start in a left wing position as Southampton look to progress in the competition at Goodison Park.
With that in mind, here is how we think Southampton could lineup for the Carabao Cup clash against Everton on Tuesday night.
Southampton (4-3-3): McCarthy; Bree, Bella-Kotchap, Wood, Taylor; Ugochukwu, Lallana, Aribo; Amo-Ameyaw, Armstrong, Cornet