Krasnodar v Everton background

FC Krasnodar have made a brilliant start at home in their first European season but can expect a tough test from Everton FC in UEFA Europa League Group H.

Form guide
• Tim Cahill scored the only goal as Everton beat FC Zenit 1-0 during the 2007/08 UEFA Cup group stage in their only previous encounter with a Russian side.

• European debutants Krasnodar have won all three of their UEFA home games to date, scoring 11 goals and conceding none.

• Everton won their first two games in both of their previous group stage campaigns; they won their first Group H game, beating VfL Wolfsburg 4-1 at Goodison Park.

Trivia and links
• Krasnodar's neighbours FC Kuban Krasnodar also made it to the UEFA Europa League group stage as European debutants last season. They kicked off with an away defeat and did not make it to the round of 32.

• Krasnodar are one of only four teams left in the competition who entered this season's UEFA Europa League in the second qualifying round, along with HNK Rijeka, FC Dinamo Minsk and Asteras Tripolis FC.

• Krasnodar's Marat Izmailov and Everton's Christian Atsu were briefly team-mates at FC Porto at the start of 2013.

• Krasnodar defender Vitali Kaleshin turns 34 the day after the Everton game.

The coaches
• Everton's attack-minded Spanish manager Roberto Martínez was a fine midfielder in the English lower leagues with the likes of Wigan Athletic FC and Swansea City AFC, and coached both clubs with great success, notably winning the 2012/13 FA Cup with the Latics before taking charge of Everton in June 2013.

• Krasnodar coach Oleg Kononov was a journeyman player who established his reputation as a coach by helping FC Sheriff win three Moldovan league titles while serving as an assistant between 2005 and 2008. He steered FC Karpaty Lviv into the UEFA Europa League in 2010/11, and took charge at Krasnodar in 2013.