Match Report Everton lost this evening for the fifth time in six games as they gave up yet another lead and ended up losing on penalties in the Carabao Cup to fellow strugglers, Southampton. Abdoulaye Doucouré pounced to head the Blues into a 20th-minute lead despite an unconvincing start by Sean Dyche’s side but they were pegged back just 12 minutes later when Taylor Harwood-Bellis capitalised on awful defending to head home the equaliser. The hosts, who were left to count the cost of two spurned chances from Jesper Lindstrom when he just had the goalkeeper to beat, meandered their way through a tedious second half, much of it without a recognised striker after Beto was perplexingly withdrawn with an hour gone, and were eventually dumped out following yet another a shootout when Alex McCarthy saved from Ashley Young. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Garner and Vitalii Mykolenko missing through illness, Dyche made eight changes in all to the team that started at Villa and was forced to improvise in defence where Dwight McNeil was initially deployed as a left back while Roman Dixon, overlooked against Doncaster, made his second start on the other side of defence. Jake O’Brien partnered Michael Keane in the centre while Orel Mangala and Harrison Armstrong made their full debuts in midfield, Lindstrøm got his second start since arriving on loan from Napoli, and Iliman Ndiaye played to the left of Beto. Southampton, coached by Russell Martin to play a game heavily reliant on possession — gallingly, Everton would have just 26% of the ball on their own pitch against a team that played last season in the second tier! — set their stall out early to dictate the contest but after Adam Lallana put an early header wide, it was the home side who forced the first save of the evening. Armstrong powered past his man and played in Beto who took a touch before delivering a powerful shot from the angle that McCarthy beat behind for back-to-back corners, the second of which ended with McNeil flicking a header over the crossbar. It was from another corner eight minutes later that Everton seized the advantage, however, after Lindstrøm’s attempted cross had been diverted behind. McNeil sailed a dead-ball delivery deep past the back post where O’Brien did well to knock it back into the danger zone for Keane to head on and Doucouré to stoop and steer it beyond McCarthy and make it 1-0. The visitors sounded a warning shortly afterwards when Lallana picked Nathan Wood out with a cross but Joao Virginia, starting ahead of Jordan Pickford this time, denied his header before Charlie Taylor chipped in from the byline and Joe Aribo despatched a wayward header into the Gwladys Street End. It might have been 2-0 a minute later, though, when Lindstrøm was put clean through, albeit slightly wide of goal, but he could only send a weak shot into the keeper’s arms. Not long past the half-hour mark, though, it was 1-1. The otherwise laudable Dixon thundered through Ryan Fraser to conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area near his penalty area and when the resulting set-piece was whipped to the back post, Harwood-Bellis rose unchallenged by either Doucouré or McNeil to bury his header past Virginia. If Everton’s fans had been hoping for a bit more energy, purpose and control from their side in the second period, they were badly let down mistaken and the longer the game went on with the Blues looking decidedly second best, the more it looked as though it would be a case of penalties or defeat. Beto and Lindstrøm combined to create an even better opening for the Dane than his opportunity one-on-one against McCarthy when the Portuguese knocked into space for him to run but the final shot was smashed off the advancing goalkeeper’s body and away from goal. At the other end, Virginia did well after Fraser had profited from a fortunate ricochet off Keane by saving low by his near post while, later, Tyler Dibling belted a shot that struck substitute Ben Brereton-Diaz on its way to goal before the Chilean international had a chance himself when he charged through centre of Everton’s defence but was foiled by Virginia. Moments of entertainment and hope were in desperately short supply from Dyche’s men but after Beto was taken off and replaced by Young, to loud boos from many in the ground, his makeshift forward line did put together their best move of the game with eight minutes to go when Ndiaye flicked it inside to Lindstrøm, he nudged it on to McNeil but the final shot deflected up and over off Wood. Substitute Tim Iroegbunam headed the resulting corner over, Dibling almost won it before the end when he was allowed to dribble down the Saints’ right, cut inside and shoot, and Young hammered a wayward volley into the Street End setting up another unwanted penalty shootout. Every kick taker was perfect through the mandated 10 penalties before it moved into sudden death where James Bree netted at 6-5. The last kick of a ball at Goodison Park in the League Cup (hat-tip Andrew Jai Presley), the competition that Everton appear destined never to win and which has brought consistent misery under a succession of managers, was struck by Young, cannoned off McCarthy, then the post and out. And out went Dyche’s team. Given the pitiful start under Dyche, no one would argue that the Premier League is of paramount importance to a squad as stretched as Everton’s, but this was a chance to inject some confidence and optimism into the veins ahead of two hugely important fixtures against Leicester and Crystal Palace over the next 11 days and dampen talk about the manager’s future. That you couldn’t pin this defeat on the fact that there were two teenagers in the line-up — because the mistakes, the lack of guile, purpose and energy came from some of the more experienced players — is as damning of Dyche as the possession statistics which make for embarrassing reading given the standard of the opposition. Dyche will hope for good news in terms of the availability of some of this evening’s missing senior players before the trip to the King Power Stadium this weekend but much more of this and his position would, under normal circumstances, become untenable. Perhaps the only thing that would save him is the vacuum at the top of the Club and Everton’s desperate financial position. Lyndon Lloyd top Matchday Updates A much-changed Everton side struggled for large periods of a difficult game against Southampton at Goodison Park before Young saw the 6th Everton penalty saved to end their Carabao Cup campaign at the second hurdle. Seamus Coleman misses out with the knock he sustained on international duty, as does Vitalii Mykolenko after coming off in the first half at Villa Park Saturday complaining of illness, and neither Nathan Patterson nor Jarrad Branthwaite are ready having only just resumed full training. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Graner were also missing through illness but Beto started with young Martin Sherif on the bench along with Luke Butterfield, Bradley Moonan, and Owen Barker. Harisson Armstrong was given his full senior debut. Roman Dixongot another opportunity from the start while deadline-day signing Orel Mangala made his full debut in midfield, alongside Doucoure. Beto started well, putting a Saints defence under pressure early on. A lively run in the channel from Dixon got the crowd up and won a corner. From that, Everton worked it around for Beto to drive in and shoot, forcing the save from McCarthy and another corner touched away for a third corner on the other side. Lindstrom's delivery was good but McNeil's contact wasn't right to convert it. After some ineffective attacking from the Saints, Dixon went on another run and great forward pass that won another corner. It was played across to the far post and pushed back into play by O'Brien where Keane headed it back goalward and it ended up with Abdoulaye Doucoure nodding the ball just inside the post from close range for the opening goal. Southampton came a little closer but Aribo headed over, while at the other end, Doucoure sent Lindstrom clean through but he fired straight at McCarthy. Beto was almost released by Keane. Dixon went right through Fraser to stop him crossing and drew a yellow card. The Saints free-kick was headed home virtually unopposed by Harwood-Bellis at the far post. Far too easy to score. Ndiaye drove hard to the byeline, winning a corner off Bree but the delivery was abysmal. The goal had given Saints some confidence and they kept the ball away from Everton but the Blues got forward only for McNeil to cross directly to McCarthy. Cornet powered his way across McNeil but scooped his shot high over the Everton bar. The visitors ended the half with a long spell of midfield possession. When Everton did regain possession, McNeil was again keen to play in Beto but the early ball was too speculative. Dixon was very strong on Fraser again giving up a similar free-kick that was almost delivered again to Harwood-Bellis but this time better defended, although the Blues struggled to clear their lines and ceded possession, with Saints slowing it right down and making Everton chase the ball. Everton played out from a goal-kick but Armstrong played it 30 yards back instead of forward and momentum was lost. Dixon drove forward but Beto had ventured yards offside. But the ball broke from a Beto interception for Lindstrom to race forward one-on-one with McCarthy but he left his shot fractionally too late and McCarthy had closed him down enough to block his effort away. Everton's defending was ragged as they survived and managed to break forward, Lindstrom's pace forcing a corner but McNeil delivering it into McCarthy's grateful grasp. At the other end, Cornet's low cross needed Keane's vital interception to prevent Fraser from converting. A slew of substitutions, one of which was met by a round of puzzled boos as Young replaced Beto, with McNeil moving from left-back into the attack. The changes seemed to disrupt the Everton players who struggled to know who to pass to, playing it back to Virginia far too much. O'Brien tried to release Dixon down the right wing but overhit it. Lindstrom was fouled off the corner of the Saints box and swung in a beauty but Bree got a vital clearing header. Lindstrom got free and tried to find a shooting position but was quickly surrounded by 5 or 6 Southampton defenders. Brereton Diaz went on a strong run but shot straight at Virginia. Ndiaye got around the Saints back line at the other end but was flagged offside. Ndiaye and Lindstrom then combined nicely but McNeil's shot was deflected behind, nothing came of the corner. Lindstrom tried to feed McNeil through the crowd but it did not come off as the minutes ticked away. A late corner won by The Saints was repelled. Dibling danced his way past a few defenders and fired just over the Everton bar as a very unconvincing display by a rag-tag Everton side moved inevitably toward penalties after 3 minutes of added time. Dixon forced a late corner, cleared out to Young and driven back wide of the goal to end the game before the spot-kicks at the Park End, Southampton going first: Fernandes — scored; Keane — scored: [1-1]Stewart — scored; McNeil — scored: [2-2]Brereton Diaz — scored; Ndiaye — scored: [3-3] Harwood-Bellis — scored; Lindstrom – in off the post! [4-4]Aribo — scored; Harrison — scored: [5-5]Bree — scored; Young — saved! [5-6] Everton: Virginia, Dixon [Y:32'], O’Brien, Keane, McNeil, Doucoure (79' Iroegbunam), Mangala, Armstrong (62' Harrison [Y:74']), Lindstrøm [Y:86'], Beto (62' Young), Ndiaye. Subs not Used: Pickford, Begovic, Sherif, Butterfield, Moonan, Barker. Southampton: McCarthy, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Taylor, Ugochukwu (62' Downes), Lallana (46' Fernandes), Cornet (63' Dibling), Aribo, Fraser (63' Brereton Diaz), Armstrong [Y:27'] (79' Stewart). Subs not Used: Lumley, Edwards, Amo-Ameyaw, Archer. Referee: Darren BondAttendance: 33,842 Michael Kenrick top Match Preview Everton turn once again to the Carabao Cup for a potential lift in their fortunes and a platform on which to build a revival in the Premier League after four straight defeats as they welcome Southampton to Goodison Park this evening. This third round tie brings together the two teams yet to pick up a point in the league so far this season and where the Blues and manager Sean Dyche are concerned, it has to be viewed as an opportunity to inject some confidence into the veins after two psychologically brutal 3-2 defeats. Dyche has intimated that, just as he did in the last round against Doncaster, he will make changes to his team and field some players who are in need of minutes to either boost or maintain their fitness. That is likely to mean only a second start for Jake O’Brien and Jesper Lindstrøm, while Abdoulaye Doucouré could also be in the starting XI for the first time since the 4-0 hammering at Tottenham on 24th August with Beto leading the line. Seamus Coleman is expected to miss out with the knock he sustained on international duty, Vitalii Mykolenko will be assessed after coming off in the first half at Villa Park Saturday complaining of illness, and neither Nathan Patterson nor Jarrad Branthwaite are ready having only just resumed full training. There could be an opportunity, therefore, for Roman Dixon to get more experience, either from the start or as a substitute, while deadline-day signing Orel Mangala is expected to make his full debut in midfield, possibly alongside James Garner. Saints boss Russell Martin is also likely to make changes of his own, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis a possible starter while he has confirmed that forward Ross Stewart will be introduced off the bench at some stage as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after injury. The south coast side demonstrated in the last round that they can score goals when they put five past Cardiff in a 5-3 win in Wales, a game in which Cameron Archer, a player with “previous” against Everton, scored a brace. Dyche will remind his players of what was, eventually, a handsome win over Doncaster as evidence of what they can do as he seeks to lift them ahead of a hugely important fixture against Leicester City this coming weekend. Kick-off: 7:45 pm, Tuesday 17 September 2024Last Time: Everton 1 - 1 Southampton (3-4 on pens) — October 2018 Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Dixon, Keane, O’Brien, Young, Mangala, Garner, Lindstrom, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Beto Lyndon Lloyd top * Unfortunately, we cannot control other sites' content policies and therefore cannot guarantee that links to external reports will remain active.