Everton moved into the FA Cup fourth round with a 2-0 victory over League One side Peterborough at Goodison Park, following Sean Dyche’s sacking earlier.
Beto opened the scoring just before halftime with a well-taken goal, assisted by the impressive 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong.
The game was sealed in stoppage time when Iliman Ndiaye converted a penalty won by substitute Jadel Katongo.
Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin after the Premier League match at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth (Pic – Backpagepix)
The evening began with shock as the news of Dyche’s departure spread. Former captain Leighton Baines, now managing the Under-18s, alongside current skipper Seamus Coleman, took temporary charge of the team.
Baines commented before the match, “I found out today like everyone else. The starting 11 I found out today and that was picked beforehand. We have made small adjustments inside of that which we think will help.”
The players, initially expecting a routine team meeting, were instead informed of Dyche’s dismissal, creating an unusual atmosphere at the stadium.
Commentators Steve Bower and Martin Keown highlighted the peculiar circumstances, with Keown noting, “The situation is one of the strangest I have ever seen.”
Despite the upheaval, young Armstrong shone on the pitch, earning praise from Baines, “He has been working so hard. He has been in and around the first team, he got on at half-time at Bournemouth and tonight is another good opportunity to showcase himself.”
Peterborough had their moments, with Ricky-Jade Jones, described by manager Darren Ferguson as the fastest player he has coached, nearly making an impact. However, it was Everton’s night, with Beto’s eighth goal for the club and Ndiaye’s late penalty securing the win.
The match was not without its injuries; Everton’s Armando Broja suffered what appeared to be a severe ankle injury, adding to his recent string of setbacks. Keown remarked on commentary, “Armando Broja is so unlucky with injuries. He has done his ACL before and was out for a long time. Since he’s been at Everton, it has been injury after injury.”
As Everton look to the future, the focus quickly shifts to who will replace Dyche. Speculation has centered around David Moyes, a former Everton manager with a successful tenure at the club.
Keown pondered, “When you meet David Moyes, you see a man that’s not finished. He’s full of ambition, he had a very good spell here for 10 years… It does just seem like a natural fit.”
Elsewhere in the FA Cup, Cardiff City and Fulham also progressed. Cardiff secured a 1-0 win over Sheffield United, while Fulham triumphed 4-1 against Watford in the ‘Marco Silva derby’, with goals from Raul Jimenez, Joachim Andersen, and Timothy Castagne highlighting their dominance.
This victory for Everton, while not a display of footballing brilliance, provided a brief respite from the chaos, setting the stage for what promises to be an intriguing managerial transition.
