The teamsheet told the story: Nothing experimental, no unnecessary risks, just a solid line up to get the wheels turning and put a journey into motion.
It was never going to be any other way, with David Moyes, but still it was reassuring. While some of his counterparts, shuffled the desk and pulled out Jokers – a penny for your thoughts, Ruben Amorim – Everton’s manager was never going to bet the house so early.
Why would he? For Moyes to gamble with the potential of a long run in the EFL Cup, against a side as well drilled and committed as Mansfield, would have been nonsensical and there is no chance he would ever do something like that, not when the best avenue to a big day is in this competition.