Everton to make light work of ambitious Salford
Everton fans will be hoping for a good run in the cup competitions this season with Premier League success less likely. Can they get past League Two Salford City? Have a read of our preview here:
Fans not enthused by direction of travel
Everton fans have not entered the 2020/21 season with a lot of enthusiasm. If social media is anything to go by, and a lot of the time it is not, there is a feeling of apathy around Goodison Park.
It is hard to keep pace with the big clubs and Everton have been trailing behind for a number of years but they feel a million miles away from a side that could ever reach the Champions League.
Sides like Leicester, Wolves and even Sheffield United have shown more nous and progression last season than the Toffees whose mid-table mediocrity has never been more apparent.
The signing of James Rodriguez is exciting and they still have Richarlison who can be brilliant on his day, but will it be enough?
Players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gylfi Sigurdsson are class acts and will be key in the coming season yet more depth and attacking endeavour is needed to convince onlookers of better times ahead.
They should stroll past Salford given the gulf in quality and it might kick-start their quest for some silverware.
Salford ambitions need dose of reality
Each season Salford are tipped to do well because they have money. That is fair but expectations should be tempered by the knowledge that this is still a fourth-tier side who are building.
Under Graham Alexander, the Ammies have made steady progress and added star men like Bruno Andrade, Tom Elliott and Richie Towell but a 6-0 humbling by Manchester United U21s was a dose of reality much-needed.
They should do well in League Two this season based on the quality of their squad but it is never that simple. They still lack a playing identity and a clear philosophy.
Buying a whole new team each transfer window is proven to fail so a more careful, perhaps even methodical approach, should be considered moving forward.
Everton could be another wake-up call, but you never know, it is the cup after all.
Everton v Salford betting tip
With the Toffees unlikely to find success in the Premier League this season, an EFL Cup trophy should appeal to them. They have more than enough quality to see off Salford so we are backing Everton to score two or more goals at odds of 1.25 with Betfair.
