Club captain Seamus Coleman, new signing Amadou Onana and midfielder Allan could all make their first starts of the season as Everton visit Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup.
Frank Lampard is expected to use the tie to give valuable first team minutes to a number of players building match fitness after disrupted pre-seasons. They include Coleman, who is yet to play following surgery over the summer.
The 33-year-old travelled with the first team squad to the US for the club's pre-season tour but his only minutes since the end of last season have come for the Under-21s.
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Lampard is viewing the second round match as an important step in helping his squad grow into the new campaign. The Blues boss' early season preparations have been undermined by injuries to key players, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure. Several other members of the squad are returning from injuries, including Coleman and Allan - who had a foot injury. Both were on the bench for the Premier League game with Nottingham Forest on Saturday but neither played.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Fleetwood, Lampard hinted Coleman may start. He said: “Off the back of his injury, typical Seamus, he has worked brilliantly to get fit. A game will surely help him.”
Onana may also start. While he has featured in each of the previous two league games since he joined from Lille, Lampard has made clear the protracted nature of the move disrupted his training, leaving him in need of further work. Of Onana, he said: “He needs minutes. There is a good chance [he will play].”
Lampard is taking the game seriously, despite it coming amid the opening flurry of league games, an injury crisis and while efforts to strengthen during the transfer window remain ongoing.
He said: “It's an important game. We have got players that are still needing minutes to get up to speed – a couple that played on Saturday, and a couple that didn't play, that will come into the team. It is a game we have to respect. We respect the opponent and understand the importance of it. I know it can be a real positive for a team – to win it, to travel, the excitement about the idea of getting to Wembley – all those things are a big deal. We have to understand we have to focus on every game and Fleetwood is right in front of us.”
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