With Jordan Pickford and Robin Olsen out, Joao Virginia is set to start his second game for Everton
Everton face Manchester City in the quarter final of the FA Cup, reaching this stage by beating the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday. A victory against Pep Guardiola’s title hungry City will take Everton to the FA Cup semifinals for the first time since 2016 but it isn’t going to be an easy task especially after the depleted squad.
Carlo Ancelotti will be without his two senior keepers as Robin Olsen and Jordan Pickford have been ruled out, resulting in Joao Virginia starting against the Man City attack. Abdoulaye Doucoure, Fabian Delph, James Rodriguez and Jean-Philippe Gbamin all are unavailable as well. Here is the Everton predicted lineup:
Goalkeeper: Joao Virginia
The young Portuguese goalkeeper is having a breakthrough season of sorts, making his Everton debut earlier this season in the Carabao Cup against Salford City and keeping a clean sheet. Satisfied with his development and progress with the U-23 side, Everton tied him down on a new deal until 2024.
He made his Premier League debut, coming on for Pickford in the game against Burnley as the Englishman was forced to come off the field due to an injury. Interestingly, Virginia is yet to concede a goal in 137 minutes of football he has played for the senior team. A huge opportunity lies in front of him against City, to not only impress Ancelotti but also show his potential to the fans.