Everton hope to welcome back James Rodriguez for Sheffield United clash after Carlo Ancelotti makes admission about Manchester United quarter-final

Ancelotti believes Everton have a genuine chance of reaching the final of the competition, so has no intention of resting some of his star names to save them for Saturday's clash at Bramall Lane (8pm).

“We give a lot of importance to this competition, it is two games to the final, so it will be fantastic for us to play a final if this will be possible,” said Ancelotti.

“We will put out our strongest team.

“[The congested calendar] is really difficult but we have to adapt to this.

“For all the teams it is difficult, it is a busy period and we have to manage injuries and players’ tiredness.

“But we have a squad able to manage this, all the players are professional, serious in training, and they showed they deserve to play.

“It will be difficult but for all the teams it is the same."

But Ancelotti could welcome back James Rodriguez for the game against the Blades, after the former Real Madrid man missed four matches with a calf problem.

"James is not available [for the quarter-final against Manchester United]. We are not concerned, we are sad because James is an important player for us," added the Italian.

"But if he is not ready to play we don't have to push and force him to come back, we have to wait a little bit so he can recover well and properly.

"The season finishes in May and not only for James but other players they need to have a proper rehab to avoid problems in the future maybe when the season will be more important than now.

"I think at least he can be available for the next game [against the Blades] or for the game after. We have games every three days.

"He is working individually so he has to start to work with the team before he starts to play."

Barring injury or illness on Boxing Day, former Blade Dominic Calvert-Lewin will make his latest appearance against the club he left to join Everton in September 2016.