Everton aim to continue their unbeaten start against an Ipswich side bidding for back-to-back away wins.
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
The win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday provided the dual positives of extending Everton’s unbeaten start to the season and allowing fringe players to come to the fore.
Second-half substitute Charly Alcaraz scored the winner after 80 minutes – his first goal for the club in 13 months – on his longest outing of the season so far.
Winger Tyler Dibling also impressed on what was only his eighth start since swapping Southampton for Merseyside in a £35m move a year ago, assisting the winning goal, while Brennan Johnson, usually utilised out wide, was effective as a central striker after replacing Thierno Barry.
The flexibility and impact of squad members is a welcome boon for manager David Moyes given he was limited to selecting from just 15 fit senior outfield players for the cup tie.
Christian Norgaard, Harrison Armstrong and Merlin Rohl are injured, and while Armstrong could return this weekend, Everton’s arduous end to the summer transfer window is already being exacerbated by fitness issues.
The EFL Cup victory means that Everton prepare to face Ipswich Town having started their campaign by going undefeated in six games in for the first time since 2020-21, while it is only the second time in either Moyes reign that the Blue have gone unbeaten in their opening four Premier League matches.
While the midweek fixture was decided by players still earning their manager’s trust, Everton’s most recent league outing was influenced by somebody already assured of Moyes’s good graces.
James Garner’s all-action performance in the goalless draw at Tottenham was pivotal in earning a hard-earned point and a return to his superlative form of last season following groin surgery before this campaign.