When Everton travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, they will do so knowing the odds are irrefutably stacked against them.
Not only are the Premier League champions on a 33-game unbeaten streak at their home stadium, but their visitors this weekend will be denied the privilege of having their manager preside over proceedings on the touchline. Instead, Blues boss Sean Dyche will be forced to watch the contest from the stands, having picked up his third yellow card of the season in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday.
Less than 28 hours later - some 65 miles away from East Manchester - Everton Women's manager Brian Sorensen will also be absent from the dugout as his side take on Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the Women's FA Cup. The Dane was given a red card during last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Women's Super League (WSL) and has since been charged by the Football Association (FA) for using "abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official".
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In truth, anybody who watched the Blues' clash with the WSL leaders would surely concede Sorensen's ire on Sunday evening was entirely justified. Having been on the receiving end of a 7-0 drubbing on their previous visit to Kingsmeadow, it's fair to say Everton's chances of toppling Emma Hayes' side already appeared slim.
But the Blues' injury-ravaged squad had managed to keep Chelsea at bay until, in the 27th minute, referee Emily Heaslip awarded the hosts a penalty after Clare Wheeler was incorrectly
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