Adam Armstrong starts: The predicted Southampton FC XI to face Everton in the EFL Cup | OneFootball

Russell Martin's side will be looking to recreate their run to the semi-finals in the 2022/23 campaign

Southampton travel to Goodison Park on Tuesday night, as Russell Martin’s side look to get the better of the Toffees in the League Cup third round.

The Saints got through to this stage after a dramatic 5-3 victory over Cardiff City last month, with a Cameron Archer brace helping the south coast outfit get the better of the Bluebirds, although they left it late to claim the win.

Two injury-time goals saw off the Welsh side that day, which is still their only victory of the season, having lost all four of their opening fixtures upon their return to the Premier League.

With that in mind, Martin may be tempted to rest a few players to focus on the weekend’s upcoming clash with Ipswich Town in the top flight, although the benefits of a lengthy cup run can never be underestimated.

GK: Alex McCarthy

Saints may have only be five games into the season, but they have already used three goalkeepers to date, with Alex McCarthy and Aaron Ramsdale sharing the duties in the league, while Joe Lumley appeared in the Cardiff win.

Summer signing Ramsdale has immediately taken over the gloves since joining from Arsenal last month, and the trip to Merseyside could be the perfect opportunity for McCarthy to stake his claim for a return to the side for league matters.

While Lumley could also be an option for the midweek affair, the 34-year-old will be eager to prove he can still have a part to play in the season ahead, having been so vital in the final few matches of the previous campaign.

RB: James Bree

The cup competitions give Martin the perfect opportunity to test out players in his squad, and James Bree is another who has struggled to break into the first-team in league competition this season.

With Kyle Walker-Peters above him in the pecking order at St Mary’s as it stands, the ex-Aston Villa man will most likely be given the nod for the midweek affair, giving him the chance to prove himself against Premier League opposition.

CB: Ronnie Edwards

All EFL fans will be wishing Ronnie Edwards well in his time at Southampton, with the former Peterborough United man one of the standout defenders in the Football League before his move to the top flight.

Once again, the England youth international got his first start against Cardiff, and it makes sense to try him against tougher opposition this time around, and see how he makes the step up.

CB: Taylor Harwood-Bellis

After starting the first three Premier League games of the season, Taylor Harwood-Bellis was named on the substitutes’ bench for the weekend’s clash with Manchester United, with the defender only coming on for the final ten minutes of Saturday’s affair.

That may see the 22-year-old given more minutes in midweek for the trip to the north west, having been a regular in the backline as the Saints earned promotion back to the top flight through the play-offs in the previous campaign.

LB: Charlie Taylor

After joining from Burnley in the summer, Charlie Taylor has been far from a regular presence in the Saints side this season, with just 14 minutes of Premier League football to his name so far.

Having played 90 minutes against the Bluebirds, the 30-year-old will be hoping he will be given the nod once again on Tuesday, and Martin will likely want to have another look at the ex-Leeds United man.

The trip to Goodison Park is a big opportunity for all those players within the squad to prove themselves to the boss ahead of the next run of fixtures, and Taylor will be no different as he vies for a starting spot.

CM: Flynn Downes

While Martin has admitted he will be making changes for the trip to Merseyside, a victory will also be on the former Swansea City boss’ mind to get his side’s season up and running.

After making eleven changes for the Cardiff City tie last time out as the Saints made hard work of overcoming Championship opposition, he will likely be reluctant make as many alterations this time around.

With that in mind, having a player of Flynn Downes’ quality in the middle of the park will help Southampton control the tempo of the game, and his attributes could help with the battle in the middle of the park.

The former West Ham United man has played every minute of the Premier League season so far, which underlines just how pivotal he is to Martin and his plans, with Tuesday’s affair giving the boss the chance to try out new roles for first-team players if needed.

CM: Joe Aribo

Joe Aribo was an unused substitute in the defeat to Erik ten Hag’s side on Saturday, with Downes and Mateus Fernandes preferred in the middle of the park.

The former Rangers man had been a regular feature in the first-team before the visit of the Red Devils, and could well be in line for a recall on Tuesday, as he looks to regain his place in the side for the visit of Ipswich on Saturday.

With his energy and dynamism in the middle of the park, the Nigerian could add plenty of energy into the side should he be given the nod ahead of the likes of Mateus Fernandes in that central midfield role.

RM: Tyler Dibling

After such a strong showing against Manchester United on Saturday, Saints fans will be eager to see even more of 18-year-old Tyler Dibling as soon as possible.

The teenager has proved himself to be an absolute bundle of energy on the right-hand side at St Mary’s, and gave Diogo Dalot an absolutely torrid time on the flank in his first league start for the club.

The academy graduate was brought down for the penalty that Saints squandered as he proved too hot to handle, and there will be plenty of clamour to see more of the same on Merseyside.

LM: Adam Lallana

Adam Lallana is yet to start a match since returning to St Mary’s from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer, and the Everton affair could be the perfect opportunity to get some minutes in the legs.

At 36 years of age, the elder statesman may not have the energy he had in his prime, but he can still do a job when needed, and that sort of talent is exactly what needs to be called upon in League Cup games.

While focus will be on the league, a victory at Goodison Park could help build momentum for the domestic campaign, and utilising a player who has bags of experience like Lallana could prove dividends.

While he is unlikely to complete 90 minutes, a solid first half or hour’s performance would be ideal in the circumstances, with the energy of Ben Brereton-Diaz or Sam Amo-Ameyaw able to come on later in the game.

FW: Adam Armstrong

Adam Armstrong will have had every reason to be aggrieved after not entering the pitch against Manchester United at the weekend, with the former Blackburn Rovers man having to watch on as his side fell to defeat.

Football League fans will know exactly what the forward is capable of, having netted 21 times in 46 Championship matches last season as he embellished his reputation as one of the EFL’s leading marksman.

With no goal to his name so far, the 27-year-old could see Tuesday’s clash as the perfect opportunity to get off the mark for the campaign and rediscover that confidence in front of goal.

FW: Maxwel Cornet

Having been given his first minutes as a Southampton player at the weekend, Maxwel Cornet could well be given the chance to get 90 minutes under his belt with the trip to Merseyside.

The Ivory Coast international played the last half hour of Saturday’s clash, having made the loan move to Hampshire on the final day of the transfer window from West Ham United.

After starting just one Premier League game in the previous campaign, the frontman will be eager to prove himself to his new employers, in the hope of getting regular game time in the season ahead.