Joao Virginia to make FA Cup debut after Everton suffer double injury blow

Posted Saturday, March 20, 2021 by PA

Everton will be without their two senior goalkeepers Jordan Pickford and Robin Olsen for the FA Cup quarter-final visit of Manchester City.

Pickford aggravated a rib problem in last weekend’s defeat to Burnley while Olsen has not recovered from an abdominal muscle injury which has sidelined him for four matches, meaning 21-year-old Joao Virginia will make only his third appearance for the club.

Midfielders Fabian Delph (tendon) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (foot) are missing as is playmaker James Rodriguez (calf).

City have no fresh injury concerns following their midweek Champions League outing against Borussia Monchengladbach in Budapest.

Manager Pep Guardiola has a full squad to select from and, in keeping with most fixtures, is likely to make changes to try to sustain his side’s quadruple challenge.

Raheem Sterling could be among those to come in after three games without starting.

Everton provisional squad: Virginia, Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Digne, Allan, Gomes, Davies, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Tyrer, Mina, Nkounkou, Broadhead, Sigurdsson, Bernard, John, Iwobi, Onyango, King.

Manchester City provisional squad: Ederson, Steffen, Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Stones, Garcia, Ake, Zinchenko, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodri, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Torres, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus, Aguero.