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6 players who deserve more minutes after strong League Cup showings

REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Most top-flight managers used the midweek League Cup third-round ties as an opportunity to rest vital first-teamers, and cast an eye on some of the peripheral members in their squads.

Did anybody do enough to earn more Premier League minutes? Here, theScore looks at six players who now have legitimate hopes for greater involvement:

Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

Not since a May 15, 2016 clash with Aston Villa has Jack Wilshere been named in an Arsenal starting XI, and a loan spell at Bournemouth ended with a broken leg. However, a case was made Wednesday that he should get a look for both club and country.

Slotted-into a midfield pairing with Mohamed Elneny that Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka typically run, Wilshere was influential at both ends of the pitch. Running with his head on a swivel, Wilshere combined numerous times with Alexis Sanchez and ran at defenders with his characteristically bullish gait, but, perhaps most importantly, he did something Ramsey and Xhaka do not: track back.

Moments after the interval, four Doncaster players stood over the ball in a dangerous position 20 yards from David Ospina's goal. As the Rovers played a series of unnecessary short passes, Wilshere slid in seemingly out of nowhere to break up the attack, launching a Gunners rush against the run of play. It was the first time Wilshere played the full 90 minutes in 1,093 days. Doesn't look like he's missed a minute. - Michael J. Chandler

Harry Winks (Tottenham)

Marauding right-back Kyle Walker-Peters and new signing Juan Foyth were both impressive in Tuesday's 1-0 dismissal of second-tier Barnsley, but are behind some impressive players in Mauricio Pochettino's pecking order.

So it should be Harry Winks, who suffered a serious ankle injury in April after establishing himself as a popular first-team figure, vaulting himself into his manager's plans.

He outshone Moussa Sissoko in midfield - that, admittedly, isn't difficult - and showed some of the energy that endeared himself to Tottenham Hotspur fans last season. The local lad's industrious style should be called in to help rouse the home support at the club's temporary digs of Wembley. - Daniel Rouse

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)

After splashing £140 million in the summer on a squad makeover, Everton boss Ronald Koeman has fielded a stodgy squad that makes Per Mertesacker look like Linford Christie.

With Wayne Rooney starting up top in the league and the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Davy Klaassen, and Tom Davies in support, the Toffees have appeared a side running in sand. A shame they don't have a pacy and creative player on the bench who impressed last season and in the summer with England's Under-20 World Cup winners.

Oh wait, Everton does have a player exactly like that, and after Wednesday's two-goal performance against Sunderland, Dominic Calvert-Lewin should get the nod ahead of Rooney. The 20-year-old has shown that he can do it against big sides as well - apologies Black Cats backers - as he showed in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Aug. 21. - MC

Charly Musonda (Chelsea)

One of a countless number of Chelsea youngsters poised to fall through the cracks of the loan system, Charly Musonda made his first start for the club Wednesday, and after a dominating performance in a 5-1 drubbing of Nottingham Forest, expect to see more of the versatile attacking midfielder.

Musonda, 20, was bursting at the seams with confidence and panache, a display that is sure to give Antonio Conte extra options in attack, especially considering that the youngster's adaptability could have him spell Pedro or Willian on the wing or slot-in to a central role.

Hard not to be elated for the kid, especially after he bagged a thunderous right-footed effort five minutes before the break and streaked down the pitch with a look of glee painted on his visage that is all-but-lost in football today. Get in, lad. - MC

Bakary Sako (Crystal Palace)

The bustling winger started up front in Tuesday's 1-0 defeat of Huddersfield Town, and nodded in the winner after 13 minutes. It was Crystal Palace's third goal in seven matches, with the other two tallies coming in the previous round against an under-strength Ipswich Town.

Sako's boots will appeal to many of the Eagles' younger fans, but it was another header from the Malian that needed to be cleared off the line late on. If Christian Benteke continues to lifelessly trundle around in league play, Roy Hodgson now knows who to deploy in his strikeforce. Sako was a nuisance to the Terriers' backline all evening. - DR

Marko Arnautovic (West Ham)

Arnautovic seemed to be making amends in Tuesday's third-round bout, laying on two assists and giving Bolton Wanderers defender Filipe Morais a torrid time in the English capital.

The Austrian's career at West Ham United didn't start well after his £25-million summer switch from Stoke City, debuting as an ineffectual substitute at West Bromwich Albion before getting sent off for an egregious elbow on Southampton's Jack Stephens in his first start.

But, following his man-of-the-match showing against Bolton, Slaven Bilic should be comprising ways of reintroducing Arnautovic into the lineup without sacrificing Andy Carroll, Javier Hernandez, or Michail Antonio.

Are better times ahead for West Ham? - DR

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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