Everton v Boreham Wood: Toffees too good for cup upset

Everton v Boreham Wood
Thursday 3 March, 20:15 kick-off
Live on ITV

Tricky test for struggling Toffees

These types of games are pretty horrible for Premier League teams, especially struggling ones as Frank Lampard's side sit just a point outside the relegation zone so have bigger fish to try than the FA Cup right now.

The Rodri handball incident against Man City was a body blow after such a good performance, but it could now galvanise his squad for the battles ahead.

The five-time FA Cup winners can't afford to be on the wrong end of one of the biggest cup upsets ever though.

With a trip to Spurs coming up on Sunday, Lampard will make changes to his team against a side 78 places below them in the football pyramid, but is already with the cup-tied Donny van de Beek, Dele Alli and Anwar El Ghazi.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies, Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey, Fabian Delph are all out injured so piecing together a starting XI will be interesting.

Boreham Wood in dreamland

The magic of the FA Cup struck at Bournemouth in the last round as National League side Boreham Wood beat the Championship high-flyers to reach the fifth round for the first time in their history.

Luke Garrard's side are now bidding to become just the second non-league side to reach the quarter-finals, even though it's likely the lowest-ranked side left in the competition will come away from Goodison with just happy memories and experience of playing a Premier League side on national TV.

Still, they're third in the National League with three games in hand and won their last league outing against Eastleigh - ironically the team they beat in the first round of the cup five months ago!

Their first-choice keeper Nathan Ashmore is back after 16 weeks out and boyhood Everton fan Kane Smith will be desperate to recover in time to play.

Joint-top scorer Scott Boden will lead the line while Josh Rees is a goal threat from midfield, but this should be where their FA Cup fairytale ends.

Everton to avoid cup upset

Boreham Wood are trading on the Exchange at around 2827/1 with Everton at 1.152/13 and that just about sums it up. The non-leaguers may have some early joy against a much-changed Everton but it surely won't last.

A struggling Premier League side are prime cup upset candidates but Everton have a few thing going for them - including new manager Lampard and plenty of experience and talented young players that will be given the chance.

Demarai Gray returned from injury as a sub against Man City and could get more minutes, while Andros Townsend, Andre Gomes, Allan and Salomon Rondon could all start.

That's just too much firepower and with such a gap in class you're probably looking at an Everton win to nil at 1.664/6 or Everton and over 2.5 goals at 1.558/15.

Back excited visitors to get carried away

It's all pretty skinny in the outright markets, understandably with such a big favourite, but one price that stands out is the 3.613/5 on Boreham Wood to get over 2.5 cards.

After all, this will be the biggest game of their lives, in front of the TV cameras and a full-house at Goodison Park.

It's also a big game for referee Tony Harrington, who dished out seven bookings in his last FA Cup game between Southampton and Coventry.

On the player front, Boreham Wood defender Will Evans has seen 10 yellows and two reds this season, so would be your stand out candidate at 4.3310/3 to get carded again.