FA Cup, third round: Everton 2 (Beto 42, Ndiaye 90+8) Peterborough United 0
Another new era for Everton, this one promising stability, and another managerial search is under way after the sacking of Sean Dyche. The Friedkin Group, the club’s new owners, were at least spared the ignominy of seeing their new investment exit the FA Cup against League One opposition.
Beto, on paper the most expensive signing of the Dyche era, and Iliman Ndiaye, one of the few pluses, scored the goals that took Everton into the fourth round at the expense of Peterborough United.
Darren Ferguson’s side competed admirably without seriously threatening to add upset to Everton’s latest sense of turmoil.
The scheduling of the tie was less headline-grabbing than the sacking that preceded it. Nevertheless it served as another demonstration of how little consideration is given to supporters by broadcasters and authorities.
Everton’s shareholders association registered their dismay at the Thursday night kick-off in a letter to the FA chief executive, Mark Bullingham. Peterborough’s 2,976 supporters, it wrote, “now have to make decisions about the viability of taking time off work, and youngsters out of school, to do a 360-mile round trip based around a weeknight 7.45pm kick-off”.
A seven-hour round trip at that. Bullingham replied, in fairness, admitting the live fixture schedule had been “challenging” but increased prize money for all concerned. Everton having home games next Wednesday and Sunday was another factor, he wrote.
The contest itself was a turn-off. Alex Ferguson was present to see if his son’s side could capitalise on the latest upheaval at Goodison. Peterborough certainly had their moments in the first half.
Leighton Baines and Republic of Ireland international Séamus Coleman received a rapturous reception before kick-off but thereafter the home atmosphere and performance fell flat for 42 minutes.
It took a timely intervention from Vitalii Mykolenko to prevent Ricky-Jade Jones applying a finishing touch to a flowing counterattack by the visitors. The resulting corner from Chris Conn-Clarke sailed through the Everton six-yard box to Cian Hayes, whose shot beat Everton’s stand-in goalkeeper João Virgínia but not Jarrad Branthwaite. Hayes’s effort may have been going wide without the defender’s block.
Everton controlled proceedings, however, as they should, but their lack of creativity and cutting edge was again evident. It will not be magically resolved by a change of manager.
Idrissa Gueye tested Peterborough keeper Nicholas Bilokapic with a swerving shot from distance. His midfield colleague Orel Mangala then struck the bar with a thunderous volley from George Nevett’s sliced clearance. Beto steered a tame header straight at Bilokapic from a Branthwaite cross.
Baines handed Harrison Armstrong only his second start in Everton colours and the 17-year-old midfielder vindicated the selection with an encouraging display. He enlivened the contest with a defence-splitting pass that released Beto in behind Emmanuel Fernandez moments before the interval. Beto, who has been linked with a return to Italy this month, rounded the Peterborough keeper before scoring into an empty net.
The goalscorer had other opportunities to break through the visiting defence as Everton looked to press home their advantage but constantly struggled to stay on his feet. It appeared Beto was playing on the black ice outside the stadium, not the grass within. A solid, compact Peterborough defence also frustrated Everton’s search for the comfort of a second goal.
Ashley Young’s introduction with 17 minutes remaining at least raised the prospect of Goodison witnessing the dad v lad confrontation that the FA Cup draw had conjured. The 39-year-old’s son, Tyler, was on the Peterborough substitutes’ bench but despite Ferguson ringing the changes in the search for an equaliser Ashley was kept waiting for his special reunion.
“I’ve been saying for years that if there was any way we could play against each other or with each other, out of my whole career, it would be the pinnacle,” Young senior had said before kick off.
The injection of pace by Ferguson improved Posh’s performance in the second half and rarely allowed Everton to settle. Hayes and half-time substitute Gustav Lindgren both troubled the home defence and almost created a clear opening for James Dornelly, who was unable to test Virgínia when found unmarked at the back post. Jordan Pickford’s deputy, however, did not have a save to make all night.
Everton’s troubled day ended on a worrying note. Armando Broja replaced Beto midway through the second half but departed on a stretcher after landing awkwardly when stepping over a challenge from Fernandez. The on-loan Chelsea striker has endured a luckless time with injuries since the summer and was only able to make his Everton debut over the festive period.
Chasing a Mykolenko pass, Broja rounded Bilokapic after the keeper advanced from goal before being halted by the defender’s challenge. His right leg appeared to buckle as he landed and, following lengthy treatment, Broja was carried off to hospital.
Everton were awarded a stoppage time penalty when Jadel Katongo was penalised for holding Branthwaite at a corner. Ndiaye rolled home a confident spot-kick to extinguish Peterborough’s hopes of salvaging extra time.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup, Cardiff City got a 1-0 away win over Sheffield United, Cian Ashford supplying the goal on 19 minutes, and Fulham put four past Watford, who could only summon a single reply from Rocco Vata, to win at Craven Cottage. – Guardian
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