Chris Hughton is fighting to keep Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini, with interest from Everton and Espanyol respectively, although the Barcelona-based La Liga side have now turned to another Argentine defender in Boca Juniors’ Juan Forlin.
Both players were rested for the Carling Cup tie, with many fans fearing that the decision to not field Taylor was to ensure he wasn’t cup-tied for League Cup games in order to be available to play for the Toffees in later rounds should they turn to the ex-England Under-21 defender as a replacement for Joleon Lescott.
Hughton said: “I can tell you 100% there is nothing to read into that.”