Sunderland travel to face Southampton for a place in the last eight.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
David Moyes has hinted that Sunderland may not look to rotate their squad for their EFL Cup clash with Southampton, the Daily Mirror reports.
The two Premier League sides meet in the last 16 of a competition that has seen the Black Cats’ only victories of the campaign so far.
Sunderland manager David Moyes speaks with John O’Shea and Jermain Defoe
And as they look to try and build some momentum by beating the Saints ahead of their return to league action this weekend, Moyes has suggested that their less congested fixture list, in comparison with their opponents, could allow them to play a stronger team.
“They’ve had a busy schedule with being at Milan and Man City. They’ve got a good squad but my feeling is they will probably change their team as well,” he said, as reported by the Mirror.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
“We don’t have lots of Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday games so we shouldn’t have too big a problem with that. I can understand Southampton, if you are in Europe on a Thursday. But it shouldn’t be too big a problem for us.”
While the Sunderland boss would surely take a victory over Arsenal at the weekend over one at St Mary’s tonight, there is no doubt that a win in the cup would be more than welcome currently.
Jermain Defoe
Moyes’ men are currently bottom of the top flight, and are already beginning to be cut adrift of safety – the gap between themselves and 17th place Middlesbrough is currently five points – so they need to rediscover that winning feeling quickly.
With games against the Gunners, Liverpool and Chelsea ahead in their next seven, picking up points in the other fixtures is surely a must.
And while a victory over the Saints will not do their points total any good, it will undoubtedly boost their confidence before their survival hopes become any bleaker.
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