Match Report

Everton hauled themselves back to 1-1 against Fulham and were one kick away from the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup but an awful penalty by Amadou Onana and a miss by Idrissa Gueye allowed Fulham to win the decisive penalty shoot-out at Goodison Park.

Sean Dyche had thrown Beto on as a second-half substitute to rescue the Toffees for a second time in this competition and he responded with a goal in the 82nd minute that sent this quarter-final tie to the lottery of penalties.

The Portuguese's header cancelled out Michael Keane's unfortunate first-half own goal and was reward for Everton's determination even if the performance as a whole on a windswept Merseyside evening left a lot to be desired.

However, after Bobby Decordova-Reid had become the first player in the shootout not to score when Jordan Pickford out-witted him and saved his placed spot-kick, Amadou Onana just had to score to send the Blues through. Unfortunately, he presented Bernd Leno with what was tantamount to a backpass and Tosin Adarabioyo eventually won it after Gueye had hit the post. 

The hosts, playing without the injured Abdoulaye Doucouré and Vitalii Mykolenko, had had the better of the first half but couldn't quite find each other in the opposition penalty area until Dominic Calvert-Lewin chased down an excellent ball down the line by James Garner with the outside of his boot.

The striker kept it in and laid it back to Dwight McNeil but the winger lashed his shot from the angle over the bar.

Branthwaite, playing left-back to accommodate Keane at centre-half alongside James Tarkowski, was picked out by Jack Harrison on the half-hour mark but his header at the back post couldn't unduly trouble Leno.

Fulham had been better in possession and with their use of the ball but hadn't threatened Pickford's goal until Keane was harshly adjudged to have fouled Rodrigo Muniz and, just as surprisingly, was booked for mild dissent.

Willian drove the resulting free-kick under the wall and missed the post by inches but just a minute later it was 1-0 to the visitors. Keane got too tight on Muniz and was rolled by the striker who found Willian, he played in Antonee Robinson in on the overlap and the full-back's cross took a decisive touch off Keane's shoulder and flew past Pickford into the net.

Everton largely toiled in the second half trying to find a way back into the game, often resorting to direct, long balls that were meat and drink to Tosin who nullified Calvert-Lewin in the air throughout his time on the pitch.

The closest the hosts came to levelling before Beto replaced DCL was when Harrison unleashed a drive from 25 yards that flashed just past Leno's left-hand post.

Fulham, meanwhile, had gone close when Harry Wilson smashed a half-volley over the crossbar and Alex Iwobi had forced Pickford into a smart parrying save midway through the second period with a bending shot from outside the box.

The introduction of Beto and then Arnaut Danjuma made the difference for Dyche's side, however. The Dutchman collected the ball down the left and delivered a hard, low cross that bounced off a defender to Garner near the penalty spot. His half-volley also hit a defender's leg but bounced up invitingly for Beto to nod past the keeper from close range.

Danjuma cracked a volley wide and Keane was in the right place to block a shot from Paulinha in stoppage time before referee Graham Scott blew the final whistle to signal penalties.

Everton were perfect with their four spot-kicks, despatched confidently by Beto, McNeil, Keane and Danjuma,  while Pickford came very close to keeping out efforts from Tom Cairney and Paulinha before he called Decordova-Reid's bluff and made a comfortable save to set up the match-winning kick for Onana.

The Belgian failed to meet the moment, taking a short run-up and rolling a lackadaisical finish straight to Leno and while Tarkowski and Garner put their penalties away with aplomb, Gueye's was fractionally off  target and came back off the post before Tosin stroked home to send Fulham through.

This was the third time in five seasons that Everton have failed at the quarter-final stage of this competition, each time not really doing themselves justice when a gilt-edged opportunity to progress and put themselves two games away from Wembley presented itself.

The focus now switches to Saturday's trip to Tottenham when the Premier League campaign continues.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton battled long and hard to get back level in this game after a Keane own-goal, Beto finally heading the equaliser under the lights at Goodison Park, only to lose the penalty shoot-out from a winning position with Onana's dreadful attempt.

Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gana Gueye return to the side following one-match suspensions as a result of accumulated yellow cards, while Abdoulaye Doucouré is rumoured to have a serious thigh injury that could keep him sidelined for a number of weeks. 

Michael Keane retains his place in the defence after his impressive performance at Turf Moor, while Ben Godfrey drops to the bench where Sean Dyche again names both reserve goalkeepers, with no place for André Gomes.

The visitors under former Everton manager Marco Sillva included both Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi, former Blues. 

The game got underway but it was mostly cagey stuff as each team tried to get the measure of the other, with Jarrad Branthwaite playing left-back and he needed to be at his best to stop Reid getting past him.

Everton finally got forward with Harrison playing in Gana but his cross eluded a blue shirt. Patterson did well to stall Iwobi. Calvert-Lewin wasn't winning anything pumped up in the air against Tosun. Tarkoski tried a deep ball but it eluded Garner. McNeil's angled free-kick went straight through to the Fulham keeper. 

Another deep free-kick from Dwight flew wide over Keane and out for a throw-in. Branthwaite overlapped McNeil but his cross was overhit, and he was quickly back in his own area to clear. It was end to end but without any threat as the defences were both on top. 

Garner was next to get in a cross but it was behind Calvert-Lewin, who then set up McNeil in tremendous space but he hammered his shot high over the bar. Some more intense Everton play saw some excellent work from a slew of Everton players, Branthwaite's cross being defended behind for a corner. But the corner did not threaten. 

A great run from Branthwaite saw him ghost around the back to meet a fine cross from Harrison but his downward header bound up nicely for Leno. The sustained Everton pressure was briefly broken but Pickford's long hoof was easily caught by Leno. 

More good football got the ball forward for Everton, Garner trying to find Calvert-Lewin with a couple of decent crosses. At the other end, Patterson was called for a handball wide right as he tried to control a bouncing ball but Tarkowski defended the free-kick well.

Palhinha and Keane came together, the Fulham player falling awkwardly and the referee deeming it a foul for a very dangerous free-kick, Keane booked for his protestations. Willian drilled a low shot through the wall and a foot wide. But on the next Fulham attack, Robinson crossed but it came off Keane's upper arm and into his own net. 

Everton attacked again in numbers but the referee saw a foul. However, on the next attack, it was Branthwaite who was fouled, Garner put a great ball in but everyone missed it. Garner was fouled by Bassey out wide but the referee said no and Everton had to go in a goal down at the break from a rather strange own goal: it was unclear what Keane had tried to do with Robinson's cross. 

The game resumed but long balls hoofed up for Calvert-Lewin weren't sticking. Harrison did well to steal the ball off Robinson but his crossfield pass was almost intercepted by Wilson. Patterson and Willian went down with a clash of heads, Patterson getting a yellow card for his contribution.  

But Everton just could not get going in any way, Garner giving away a silly free-kick on Willian. But finally they got forward, Harrison powering a shot just wide after great work by Patterson. At the other end, Wilson lashed a clearance well above Pickford. 

The game desperately needed something: would Dyche put Beto on? Calvert-Lewin seemed to have a chance but gave way to the advancing Leno. Rodrigo blatantly dived but no sanction. Garner was then fouled but nothing came from the free-kick. 

The hour mark came but Onana played an awful forward ball between Everton players.  McNeil's cross was easily defended. Calvert-Lewin, who had been worse than useless, was replaced by Beto. But Pickford's first attempt to find him was woefully overhit straight out of play as Everton struggled more and more to get a grip on the game and the Goodison crowd became more and more agitated with proceedings. 

Tete tackled McNeil poorly from behind and got a yellow card. Harrison crossed in but could not find Beto and nothing Everton tried was working. Iwobi got forward for Fulham and Branthwaite had to head it behind for a corner, Iwobi smacking one at Pickford that drew a fine save for another corner that was cleared. 

Beto went down too easily and wanted a penalty that was never on. Tete then went down too easily and handled the ball to stop play but he was not shown a second yellow card.  Patterson forced an Everton corner from McNei but it was cleared.  Danjuma then replaced Harrison. 

Patterson got into space and crossed but Beto over-ran the ball for what should have been a guilt-edged scoring chance. Better efforts saw McNeil's shot blocked, then Beto breaking offside but unable to beat Leno.

Fulham subs disrupted Everton's tempo. with the clock rapidly running down. Tarkowski got away with one when he brought down De Cordova-Reid but Fulham wasted the free-kick. Everton became even more desperate but the play just became that much more scrappy.

But Everton attacked frantically this time, the ball going around the penalty area until Beto got his head onto a deflected Garner shot that bounced up nicely for him and he fairly buried it, much to the relief of Goodison Park. 

Finally, the game came alive, Fulham realising they had lost a key advantage, as Tarkowski was kicked off the ball by Rodrigo after he had body-checked the Fulham player.

It was hectic and scrappy now as each side took turns to try and break the other. Into 7 added minutes, the ball fell to Danjuma and he hammered his volley wide when perhaps he could have buried a winner. 

Fulham went forward and were denied at least two good chances with tremendous blocks. Everton were stretched as Fulham countered again but Robinson wellied his shot well wide of goal. 

Deep into added time but Everton struggled to create another chance, as Fulham again countered at speed, Tete with the cross. It was desperate stuff as penalties loomed, De Cordova-Reid with what looked to be a golden chance to score. 

Everton countered and got a free-kick wide left but no chance came and the whistle went for the dreaded penalty shoot-out. 

James Tarkowski won the toss and of course chose the Gwladys Street End:

Beto: smashed it home. [1 - 0]
Pereira: stuttered and slotted: [1 - 1]
McNeil: buried with ease [2 - 1]
Cairney: Just wide of Pickford's dive [2 - 2]
Keane: Smacked it top corner! [3 - 2]
Palhinha: Pickford got an arm to it... [3 - 3]
Danjuma: Sends Leno the wrong way [4 - 3]
De Cordova-Reid: Saved by Pickford... although he came off his line!!! [4 - 3]
Onana: passes it softly to Leno... shocking! [4 - 3]
Vinicius: scores. [4 - 4]
Tarkowski: Smashed high down the middle! [5 - 4]
Tete: Just beyond Pickford. [5 - 5]
Garner: replace ball Leno, out, yellow card... goal! [6 - 5]
Robinson: Sends Pickford the wrong way [6 - 6]
Gueye: hits the post! [6 - 6]
Tosun: wins penalty shoot-out [6 - 7]

Everton: Pickford; Patterson [Y:49'], Tarkowski, Keane [Y:39'], Branthwaite; Harrison (72' Danjuma), Gueye, Garner, Onana, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin (60' Beto).

Subs:  Virginia, Lonnergan, Godfrey, Hunt, Metcalfe,  Chermitti, Dobbin. 

Fulham:  Leno [Y:100'], Tete [Y:64], Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson, Joao Palhinha, Reed (77' Andreas Pereira) , Wilson (77' De Cordova-Reid), Iwobi (87' Diop), Willian (62' Cairney), Rodrigo Muniz (87' Vinicius).

Subs:  Rodak, Ballo-Toure, Castagne, Lukic.

Michael Kenrick

Gutted… Just gutted

I guess it's hard not to get giddy after four successive wins without a goal conceded; or 10 wins in 14 games across all competitions. But that's what we've done this last week ahead of a home League Cup quarter-final against beatable opposition. With all that in mind, it was perhaps inevitable that the rug would be pulled from under us in cruel circumstances.

We arrived at the pub buoyant, enjoying a couple of beers and complimentary hot dogs. Conscious of the queues outside the Gwladys Street ahead of the Fourth Round tie against Burnley, we arrived in good time, and were part of a pumped atmosphere as Everton attempted to reach a semi-final for the first time since 2016.

There was much confusion about the starting line-up, with some of us (including myself, wrongly) feeling Jarrad Branthwaite would be operating as part of a back three with Dwight McNeil at left-wingback, and others feeling he was at left-back. I'm sure how Fulham lined up will have played into Sean Dyche's thinking on this decision, though Jarrad, despite his best efforts, never looked comfortable there.

Fulham began the game well albeit without really seizing the initiative, though Everton soon wrestled control of the game and for a period of at least 10 minutes were all over Fulham, though were unable to get the breakthrough. Dwight McNeil skied a powerful effort well over the crossbar when he might have done better, and Jarrad Branthwaite opted to head rather than volley with a half-chance but was unable to generate sufficient power on the ball to trouble Bernd Leno.

We continued to dominate proceedings, however, and then suddenly a couple of, from our position at least, debatable calls from Graham Scott swung momentum Fulham's way a little. Firstly, he called a handball against Nathan Patterson which looked to me as though he could do little about and was only adjudged to have handled because Willian stopped and appealed.

Following that, Michael Keane and Rodrigo Muniz both challenged aerially for a 50-50 ball, which resulted in Muniz sprawling on the floor and Michael Keane carded, much to the dismay of most of the Everton players. Again, and I haven't had the benefit of seeing a replay, it seemed a tough call to me. This was just outside the penalty area, would a penalty against Michael really have been called had it been 2 yards back? I doubt that.

This is relevant because, from the restart, once Willian had gone very close with the free kick, we quickly conceded. I thought it was a dreadful ball out to the left by Jordan, seeking out Jarrad Branthwaite when we were overloaded on the right instead. Jarrad could do little more than head the ball to a Fulham player and we were quickly on the back foot again. Antonee Robinson's centre flashed across and into the net.

We assumed it must have been an own-goal and then I saw Michael Keane grimace just in front of me. I've seen that grimace before and assumed it was him. So at the break, though not great, we were certainly a lot better than our visitors but found ourselves a goal behind despite them not registering a shot on target.

The second half was a lot more of the same in the most part – a brilliant effort from Everton, though not producing enough quality to unlock Fulham, who were defending their lead well and making life difficult for us throughout. It also felt like they were benefiting from the majority of the 50-50 calls from Graham Scott.

To the lads' credit, they stayed patient and kept on going. The crowd, desperate for Everton silverware, stuck with them and encouraged them all the way. We eventually got the reward our toils, if not our quality, deserved when substitute Beto gambled, stayed onside, and headed in to level the scores.

With 8 minutes remaining on the clock, plus what turned out to be 7 minutes of stoppage time, we dared to dream. On a few occasions, it felt as though we got a little bit too carried away, but I guess you have to be prepared to lose to win sometimes, and we so nearly did it in normal time when another substitute in Arnaut Djanjuma met a volley splendidly with the full meat of his boot but unfortunately it went narrowly wide of the post. 

So onto penalties it was then, and it felt it was going all too well when we got to take them in front of the Gwladys Street, and also go first. As all the first four lads that stepped up (Beto, Dwight, Arnaut and Michael) buried their penalties with aplomb, and Jordan had saved well from Bobby De Cordova-Reid, it was down to our fifth penalty taker to take us into the semi-final.

Rewind a little while earlier, and while James Garner was sprawling on the turf holding what looked like his ankle, Ste and I wondered who would be taking our penalties if he had to come off, because we had it as an absolute given that he, along with the other four actually, would be one of the penalty takers… 

So I was very surprised when I saw Amadou step up. I mean, does he seem to have that composure when given a chance to shoot? He is a tidy passer, but is he a good striker of the ball? And for heim to be our number five penalty taker – one who, if it gets that far in a shoot-out, pretty much has to score – should he be the man to need to score to put us into the semi-final?

I was surprised he walked forward, but even so could not believe what came next. What the heck was he doing? An abysmal penalty and he can have no excuse. If he runs up, hits it hard but Leno guesses well and saves, then fine. But to take a penalty like that, with the semi-final on the line, is just absurd and he can have no excuses.

James Tarkowski and James Garner did what they had to, before Idrissa Gueye hit the post with his effort. No complaints with Idrissa there – low down the order he stepped up and was a little unlucky. But what on earth was Amadou doing?

I'd have to see the penalties again on TV also, but should Jordan have done better too? He seemed more interested in his eccentrics than his shot-stopping. You could say he did his job in making a good save and giving us the platform to go and win; though conversely, he got close to a few of them penalties, the last one particularly felt like he might have kept out.

So the trophy wait goes on, ended cruelly once again, but credit to the players. Not high on quality, but with the mounting injuries, and relentless fixture schedule, they are giving all they can.

We'll just have to move on and get back at it in the league, and go again for a trophy at Selhurst Park in a few weeks. But isn't it just gutting?

My Man of the Match, if only for total desire and a complete unwillingness to accept defeat, is James Garner. I really wish he'd have taken that fifth penalty.

Keep your heads up high. UTFT.

Paul Traill

Match Preview

Everton have their sights on a fifth successive win and a place in the last four of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening as they take on Fulham under the lights at Goodison Park.

It will be the second visit to L4 of the season for Marco Silva and his men, with the Cottagers having already recorded a victory over the Blues on the opening day of the season, albeit against a team lacking any focal point up front and which didn't have the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite in defence.

The towering young centre-back is expected to return to the starting XI after serving a one-match ban against Burnley on Saturday while, up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will provide the robust target that was lacking the last time the two clubs met.

Calvert-Lewin was injured at the start of the season and Beto had not yet been signed but both are likely to play a role in this quarter-final and both looking to increase their respective goal tallies in the competition. Beto scored his first Everton goal in the second round against Doncaster Rovers while Calvert-Lewin has an impressive scoring record in the League Cup overall.

In midfield, Idrissa Gueye is eligible again after he, too, was suspended for the win at Turf Moor but the fitness of the vital attacking cog Abdoulaye Doucouré and in-form left-back Vitalii Mykolenko is a concern after the Frenchman was forced off against Burnley feeling a tight hamstring and the Ukrainian failed a fitness test on a groin strain.

With no natural replacement, Doucouré's absence would pose a conundrum for Sean Dyche who pushed Jack Harrison up behind the striker against Newcastle when Amadou Onana and James Garner were missing and he may opt for the same strategy against Fulham.

Arnaut Danjuma is another option in that role but the Dutchman appears to have fallen out favour recently and it may be that Lewis Dobbin is again preferred to him in any changed attacking formation.

At the back, much depends on whether Mykolenko will be risked. Dyche described his situation as "touch-and-go" after Saturday's game but should he miss out and assuming Michael Keane felt no ill-effects from his goalscoring return to Turf Moor, it could be a case of same again at the back with Branthwaite coming in for Ben Godfrey in a back five.

Fulham will be without striker Raul Jimenez following his red card at St James's Park over the weekend but Alex Iwobi would be eligible to face his former team-mates given that he did not feature in the second round before his move to Craven Cottage.

Kick-off: 7:45pm, Tuesday 19 December 2023
Last Time:  Everton have not played Fulham (H) in the League Cup before

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Keane, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Patterson, McNeil, Onana, Garner, Harrison, Dobbin, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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