Match Preview: Leicester prepares for FA Cup third round journey to Goodison Park to face Everton

Leicester finish a streak of three matches in eight days with a trip to Goodison Park to take on Everton in the FA Cup Third Round on Saturday.

Location: Goodison Park, Liverpool, England

Kick-off time: 3:00 PM GMT, 10:00 AM Eastern, 7:00 AM Pacific

It hasn’t been long since the two sides met with the last meeting coming on Boxing Day in the Premier League. The Foxes fell to the tune of a 2-0 defeat in front of the King Power faithful after Kevin Mirallas’ 51st-minute dagger and a late Romelu Lukaku goal sealed the three points for the Toffees.

The trip to Everton will be Leicester’s fourth season in a row against a Premier League opponent in the FA Cup Third Round and fifth in the past seven seasons overall. All of those fixtures have been away from the King Power Stadium with the exception of last season’s home draw to Spurs, which led to a 2-0 loss in the replay at White Hart Lane.

In the past four seasons, Leicester have failed to progress past the Third Round. Their last win in the competition came in 2012-13 when the Foxes beat Burton Albion 2-0 before losing to Huddersfield 2-1 in a Fourth Round Replay. The Foxes made it all the way to the Quarterfinals in 2011-12 but were smacked 5-2 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images

In addition to a poor run of form in the competition, the Foxes have learned to accept losing in the FA Cup over the club’s 132-year history. Leicester has lost four times in the FA Cup Final — a record for all clubs.

We caught up with Royal Blue Mersey’s Calvin to get the lowdown on Everton ahead of Leicester’s journey to Goodison Park on Saturday:

FP: Can you give Leicester fans a quick overview of what you’ve seen from Everton so far this season?

RBM: It's been an up-and-down year so far. The season started off great and after five games we were looking like Leicester's 2016-17 reincarnation, but then the thin veneer cracked and our true lack of depth showed and we fell to where we are now. However, the last couple of weeks have marked a resurgence for the Toffees and there is genuine hope that some shrewd signings in the January transfer window will get us possibly challenging for a Europa League spot.

FP: We met recently in the league at the King Power Stadium, ending in disappointing fashion for the Foxes. What did you make of the last meeting between the two sides?

RBM: To be honest we feel very lucky to have caught you on a day without key players due to suspensions, injury and other decisions. Can't say we really deserved that 2-0 scoreline for what was a pretty dour game for the most part. Without an influential attacking midfielder we have resorted to a bit of a 4-4-2 long-ball counter-attacking game not unlike what you have been playing.

Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images

FP: Now we meet again in the cup on your turf. What are you expecting this Saturday?

RBM: Hopefully a much more open game with both sides lining up their best sides and going for it in a good ol' Cup duel. Everton have nothing to lose this season and the FA Cup presents us the best chance to clear out some cobwebs in our 22-years-unopened trophy cabinet. Koeman has said he will line up the best side he has, so there's that.

FP: Prediction?

RBM: I am pretty awful at these, but if we do get the rollicking kind of game I'm hoping for, I see a 2-2 scoreline and a replay coming back your way.