Everton nothing to fear in Europa League

Everton winger Aiden McGeady's experience of Russian football gives him reason to be confident against FC Krasnodar in the Europa League.

Aiden McGeady, Everton

Everton's Aiden McGeady is confident facing FC Krasnodar after his experience of Russian football. (AAP)

Everton winger Aiden McGeady's experience of Russian football gives him reason to be confident as the Toffees travel to face FC Krasnodar in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

The Premier League club have had a slow start to their domestic campaign but were buoyed by their 1-1 draw with Liverpool in last weekend's Merseyside derby and are now looking to make it two wins out of two in Group H.

Roberto Martinez's side were impressive 4-1 winners against Wolfsburg in their opening game two weeks ago, while Krasnodar are in their first ever European campaign and started with a 1-1 draw in Lille.

"It'll be a tough game. Going away to these places in Europe, in the Europa League especially, they are never easy," Ireland star McGeady, who moved to Goodison Park in January after spending three and a half years with Spartak Moscow, told Everton TV.

"But I think we have enough quality to get out of this group easily enough and get as far as we can."

McGeady, 28, added that Everton need not expect an especially intimidating atmosphere in southern Russia.

"Krasnodar isn't a massive football city. The stadium is your typical old Soviet stadium - running track around it, quite far away from the pitch. It's not really a hostile environment."

Kevin Mirallas is on the sidelines with a hamstring injury and Martinez fears that the problem, which forced him off against Liverpool, could be more serious than first feared.

"It's not normal when Kevin Mirallas feels something like that and has to come off in the game. We know then that it is something serious," said the Spaniard, who confirmed that tests have been ongoing to determine the exact nature of the injury.

Everton were also sweating on Seamus Coleman, Sylvain Distin and Steven Pienaar for the game, while Wolfsburg and Lille meet in the other match in the group.


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