Everton v Sheffield United: Doyle out to upset Beckford as Blades target Cup

The Yorkshire club’s 1-0 win at Manchester United was remarkable, not least because they were still in League One at the time. The Premier League champions had also not been knocked out in the FA Cup third round since 1984.

Understandably, therefore, the celebrations in the away dressing room at Old Trafford on January 3, 2010, were raucous to say the least with Beckford, the scorer of the only goal that day, leading the way.

Two seasons on, however, and many things have changed. Leeds, for instance, are back in the Championship, while both Doyle and Beckford have moved on to new clubs.

Tonight, the pair will be reunited for the first time since going their separate ways at the end of the season in which Leeds followed knocking the Red Devils out of the Cup by clinching promotion.

And Doyle is determined that his former team-mate will suffer a night to forget as Sheffield United take on Everton.

“It will be good to see Jermaine again,” admitted the 30-year-old Blades midfielder, who spent the 2009-10 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Coventry City.

“We had some good times together at Leeds. He is a lovely fella and a great player. It will be good to see him again.”

Looking back on the afternoon when Leeds stunned Sir Alex Ferguson’s side on their own patch, Doyle added: “I have enjoyed some good days in Cup competitions, but that was special.

“Jermaine was full of it, as you would expect from someone who had just scored a winner at Old Trafford.

“And quite right, too, because they were at the top of the Premier League and we were two divisions below them at the time.

“But it will be a different story if we get a result at Goodison Park. I don’t think there will be much chance of me having any banter with Jermaine if that happens because, knowing him, if they lose he will be so annoyed that he will be straight off home at the end of the game.”

Leeds’s 2010 triumph at Old Trafford, the club’s first in almost three decades, is not the only time Doyle has been part of a major Cup upset.

Another came at the same venue in September 2007, when Championship side Coventry City triumphed 2-0 over United in the Carling Cup.

It is a notable double that the Irish midfielder is justifiably proud of. Doyle admits, however, that in many ways a win at Goodison tonight in the red and white of Sheffield United would be even more satisfying.

He said: “I was a Liverpool fan as a kid so it would be really nice to beat Everton. I have been to Goodison to watch Mersey derbies, and it is a brilliant ground with a fantastic atmosphere.

“We are happy to be going to a big club, and we shall go there well prepared and confident after the good start we have had to the season.

“We seriously want to do well in the Carling Cup because we want to win every game we play.

“But promotion is the main aim and, from a personal point of view, I want to play a big part in helping us get straight back to the Championship because I didn’t make the impact here that I wanted to after joining from Coventry last season.”

Danny Wilson’s side have enjoyed a hugely encouraging start to the season with four games having yielded 10 points. With Hartlepool United also having been knocked out of the Carling Cup on penalties, it means the Blades make the trip to Merseyside in buoyant mood.

Wilson has no fresh injury problems from United’s visit to Tranmere Rovers on the opposite bank of the Mersey last Saturday, meaning Stephen Quinn (back) is okay after being substituted in the 1-1 draw. Ryan Flynn and Chris Porter are also back in contention after injury.

Wilson said: “We are more than ready for this challenge, and you see upsets in cup competitions every year. We couldn’t have asked for a tougher tie, and nobody expects us to do anything at Goodison.

“But we want more than simply going there just to make up the numbers. We want to go as far as we possibly can in this competition.

“Everton, quite rightly, have a reputation as a good footballing side. But make no mistake about it, they are not a team that just floats around spraying the ball about.

“They are strong, powerful and aggressive. They know how to look after themselves. We know what they are capable of as a team and they will be desperate for a win after losing to QPR at home on Saturday.”

Last six games: Everton LDWLWL, Sheffield United LWDWWD.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham).

Last time: Everton 2 Sheffield United 0; October 21, 2006; Premier League.