Everton vs Doncaster Rovers Prediction: Donny can spring cup surprise 

Everton will be hoping to put their Premier League struggles behind them when they welcome League Two Doncaster Rovers to Goodison Park in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday (19:45, Sky Sports+). 

It has been a testing start to the season for the Toffees, who followed up a 3-0 home loss to Brighton on the opening weekend by shipping four without reply at Tottenham last time out. Sean Dyche's side now face a potential banana skin of a cup tie against a Rovers team who have started the 2024-25 season with three wins from four across all competitions. 

Everton vs Doncaster Odds

Despite their struggles, Everton will start this game as 2/7 favourites for the victory, while Donny are 15/2 to spring a surprise on Merseyside. 

The draw, which would see the match go straight to penalties, is priced at 9/2. 

This is the second season in a row that these two sides have met in the second round of the Carabao Cup and it is 15/2 that Everton replicate the 2-1 result they picked up at the Eco-Power Stadium 12 months ago. 

Football Odds

Team News

Injuries have not helped Everton's cause at the start of the season and Jarrad Branthwaite (groin), Nathan Patterson (thigh) and Youssef Chermiti (ankle) all still sidelined for this one. 

There is better news regarding James Garner and Seamus Coleman, who could both feature after recent calf issues, while experienced wing-back Ashley Young will be available after serving a ban. 

Summer signings Jesper Lindstrom, Jake O'Brien and Iliman Ndiaye will be among the players hoping to earn starts if Dyche opts to shuffle his pack in the cup. 

Doncaster will be without a trio of players for the trip to Goodison, with captain Richard Wood sidelined for several months after undergoing ankle surgery and he is joined in the treatment room by James Maxwell and Ben Close. 

Draw or Doncaster @ 23/10 

Any early-season optimism Everton supporters were feeling would have quickly disappeared following not just their defeats to Brighton and Tottenham, but the manner of those losses. 

Injuries have not helped Dyche and his team, but even with a threadbare squad to choose from, the former Burnley boss will likely make changes to his starting XI for this cup clash. 

That should give Doncaster plenty of encouragement that they can cause an upset in this tie, with Grant McCann's fourth-tier promotion hopefuls having already recorded wins over Accrington, Morecambe and Salford this season, the last of those coming in the first round of this competition.  

Donny took the lead when these two sides met in last season's Carabao Cup through Joe Ironside and Everton had to wait until the final 17 minutes of the game to save their blushes thanks to goals from Beto and the now departed Arnaut Danjuma. 

The Toffees are arguably in worse form now than they were then and this time around Doncaster could, at the very least, take this game to penalties. 

A fast start from Rovers would certainly put the pressure on Everton in front of their home supporters. 

Joe Ironside to score anytime @ 16/5 

Forward Ironside's goal in last season's cup meeting between these two sides was one of 24 he scored across all competitions in 2023-24 as he finished as Doncaster's leading scorer. 

The former Cambridge United ace has not quite hit those same levels so far this season, but after being deployed from the bench against Morecambe at the weekend, he should return to the starting XI for this one. 

Against an Everton defence that has been far from watertight so far this season, Ironside will be confident of repeating last season's heroics, only this time he will hope it also leads to a positive result for his side. 

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down.

Tuesday (27/08): Place an In-Play single bet of £10 or more at odds of 1/2+ on any EFL Cup game on Tuesday and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on Wednesday.

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.