Preston North End will host Everton in the Carabao Cup second round next week, a historic fixture not seen for over two decades. The tie, scheduled for the week beginning 24 August, sees a Championship side struggling in 23rd place take on a Premier League opponent whose manager David Moyes has deep connections to Deepdale.
Everton are expected to make multiple changes for the cup match, with players like Tyler Dibling, Carlos Alcaraz and Beto in contention. Moyes, who managed Preston from 1998 to 2002 and led them to promotion, insists cup progress and the fight to avoid relegation can coexist. "I can't think of any manager who wouldn't want a good run in a cup competition," the Everton boss said. His comments have nonetheless increased pressure on his squad ahead of the trip.
For Preston, the game offers a rare cup highlight during a difficult league campaign. Ryan Lowe's side sit 23rd in the Championship with just four points from eight games, having conceded 15 goals. Their recent form reads one win, one draw and three defeats from the last five, a run that includes a 2-2 draw at QPR where Johnny Kenny scored twice. The full schedule of upcoming league games, including the next home match against Millwall on 10 October, is available on our fixtures page.
Everton's cup history adds pressure
Everton's recent record in the Carabao Cup underlines the potential for an upset. They have not progressed past the third round in four of the last five seasons and have lost five of their last eight cup ties on penalties. The competition has brought the Merseyside club little joy, with their last final appearance in 1984 ending in defeat to Liverpool. They reached the semi-finals in 2016 but lost to Manchester City.
A historic Deepdale meeting
This will be the first competitive meeting between the sides at Deepdale since 1961. The last clash overall was a 2-0 Everton win in the League Cup third round in October 2004, with goals from Lee Carsley and Marcus Bent. Preston's own cup history is illustrious but distant, having won the FA Cup in 1938. Their famous 'Invincibles' team from 1888-89 is a proud part of the club's past, but the present focus is on halting a slide that has them in the Championship's relegation zone.
The match will be decided on the night, with no replays and penalties used if required after 90 minutes. For Preston, the priority remains arresting their poor league form, but a cup run would provide a welcome boost. The club's squad details and season statistics can be found on our squad and stats pages. They return to league action at home to Millwall on 10 October.
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