They say a week is a long time in football, but today was a long day for Everton. Sean Dyche began the day as manager and Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman ended it in charge as the Toffees beat Peterborough 2-0 in the FA Cup
The FA Cup is often lauded as the greatest and most exciting cup competition in the world, but it was the drama prior to kick-off that caught the attention of the home fans. Manager Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties just three hours before the Toffees hosted League One Peterborough United.
After over a decade together as one of the greatest full-back partnerships that Everton and the Premier League have ever seen, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman were reunited as interim head coaches in the final FA Cup third round tie at Goodison Park.
The Toffees’ legends, who have both made a combined 846 appearances for the club, were the happier of the two dugouts at half-time as Beto’s strike had Everton leading 1-0 at the break.
Iliman Ndiaye added a late second as the interim bosses secured a first win in six for the club they have been adored at for many years.
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Story of the match
Everton fielded a much-changed team from last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, with the biggest surprise being 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong making his first start for the Toffees in a side that was picked by the departing Dyche prior to kick-off.
Peterborough made just the three changes with Darren Ferguson choosing to stick with most of the side that lost late on to Wrexham.
With Posh wanting to cause a famous ‘cupset’, the narrative around the game meant an exciting cup match awaited both sets of fans.
Both sides entered the match in poor form, so it was no surprise that the opening 20 minutes was a cagey affair, with Idrissa Gueye’s swerving effort batted away by the hand of Nicholas Bilokapic.
It would be Gueye’s midfield partner Orel Mangala to pose the next threat to an opening goal as he crashed an effort onto the cross bar, inches away from rippling the back of the net.
Peterborough responded shortly after and had a spell of pressure of their own. Posh broke from an Everton attack with Ricky Jade-Jones’ shot being blocked by Vitaly Mykolenko before Jarrad Branthwaite charged down a Cian Hayes effort to keep the score level. However, ‘Boro were left ruing their missed opportunity.
The Toffees have lacked a clinical striker since the days of Romelu Lukaku, but Beto opened the scoring with a cute finish, that the Belgian goalscorer would have been proud of, moments later.
Armstrong played an incisive pass through to the striker, with Beto’s delicate touch taking it round Bilokapic, flooring the ‘keeper and leaving the Portuguese man with an open goal that could not be missed.
That proved to be the final act of a nervy first half that lacked tempo as both teams showed why they were struggling in their respective divisions.
Peterborough were the first to make a change, as new signing Gustav Lindgren came out for the second half in place of Jade-Jones. The Swedish striker made the move to ‘Boro from his homeland and second division side Degerfors.
The first chance after the interval came to Gueye as he fired a Nathan Patterson cut-back into the stands with Everton having several other efforts through Beto and Mangala.
Armstrong, who assisted the opener, was substituted with just over 20 minutes to go and it was a performance to be proud of for the young Evertonian. The fact that he fit so seamlessly into the Toffees’ side is a testament to the quality of the midfielder.
Michael Keane was the next Everton player to try and test Bilokapic, but he smashed his effort into the Goodison turf before Armando Broja fired over the crossbar.
However, Posh almost gifted the hosts a goal to seal the tie as Bilokapic rushed out of his net , missed the ball and gave Broja a chance to score from distance. The Aussie ‘keeper had Emmanuel Fernandez to thank as his sliding challenge spared him his blushes.
Despite there being minimal contact from the previous tackle, Broja had to be stretchered off the pitch with a serious injury. The Albanian has had no luck with injuries and that challenge only added to his recent woes.
Broja’s injury prompted ten minutes of stoppage time but there was to be one more chance in a game lacking quality.
The hosts doubled their advantage late on as Iliman Ndiaye converted a penalty after Joel Katongo’s clumsy challenge in the box.
The pre-match talking point of a father and son playing against each other in the FA Cup for the first time in 154 years was not to be as Tyler Young remained on the bench, watching on as Young Sr’s Everton side made the next round of the cup.
- Player of the match – Harrison Armstrong
The young midfielder was a shining light in an otherwise average Everton team. Armstrong’s incisive pass allowed Beto to fire an effort past Bilokapic in what proved to be the game’s winning goal.
The new Everton boss will be pleased to have a young player of Armstrong’s ability to count on if the Toffee’s are to avoid this season’s drop.
