View: Everton must take full advantage after what Martin's said about Southampton camp

Sean Dyche will have no excuses if his Everton side fail to beat Russell Martin’s illness-ravaged Southampton side on Saturday (2 November).

Speaking to the Southern Daily Echo after Southampton’s 3-2 EFL Cup victory over Stoke City (29 October), Martin said that a virus had swept through the Saints camp, affecting five players.

Ryan Fraser, Flynn Downes, Jack Stephens, Adam Armstrong and Ryan Manning were all struck down, and despite Martin saying he’s hopeful they will each recover by the weekend, they’re unlikely to be at 100 per cent.

Everton must seize Southampton initiative to extend unbeaten run

Although facing a side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table would be seen as a guaranteed three points for most sides, Toffees fans know better than most that things are never so straight-forward.

That’s largely down to the fact that of Southampton’s three victories so far this season, all of which have come in the EFL Cup, only one was against a top-flight side – Sean Dyche’s Blues in the second round.

Although Saints’ victory came via a 6-5 penalty shoot-out win following a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park, there’s no denying that the pressure will be on Dyche to ensure no such slip-ups occur this time around.

At the time, it was the Toffees who were wedded to the foot of the league table, but their uptick in form since means that there are no excuses not to come away from St. Mary’s with three points.

Southampton being winless and having half-a-dozen players coming back from illness gives the visitors an upper hand, but Dyche’s side can leave no stone unturned as they look to extend their unbeaten run.

In other Everton news, Dyche admitted that he wanted to keep one player who made a big impact in the Blues’ draw with Fulham.

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