Goals in the final 20 minutes from Mason Holgate and Richarlison helped Everton to a 2-0 win over Watford and a place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
Both sides made a handful of changes from their respective weekend’s games. Everton made five whereas Watford made a total of eight, and it definitely showed as the game took an age before anything of real importance happened, with the first piece of action being a quick counterattack from the hosts.
Richarlison, wanting to silence the boos from the Watford end raced down the Everton left and if his pass had been better, he would have surely set up the first goal of the game. Unfortunately for the former Watford favourite, his pass went in-between Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean and was cleared with ease.
This poor pass almost came back to haunt Everton straight away as the very next attack from Watford should have forced a save from Jordan Pickford.
Roberto Pereyra received the ball down Watford’s right, he created himself some space and looked to pick out the run of Domingos Quina, but unfortunately for the young Portuguese midfielder, he completely sliced his shot wide of Pickford’s goal, and that was to be his only chance of the game as five minutes later he was replaced by Abdoulaye Doucoure after picking up a knock.
The next best chance of the game came 10 minutes after the break, Andre Gray from thirty yards stung the palms of Jordan Pickford after a long ball from Heurelho Gomes picked out the former Burnley man.
This then sparked life into the game as five minutes later Michael Keane should have given the hosts the lead.
Lucas Digne played a quick one-two with Richarlison down the Everton left and was then brought down by Sebastian Prodl.
The Frenchman got to his feet and picked out Michael Keane in amongst a crowded penalty area, and fortunately for Gomes in the Watford goal the Everton centre back headed straight at him, whereas either side of the Brazilian shot stopper and it would have been 1-0 to the hosts.
Moments later and it was Gomes’ namesake that almost gave the hosts the lead but unfortunately for Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes, Adrian Mariappa was on the line to clear.
Two minutes later and another Everton chance, this time for Alex Iwobi but his effort crashed against the bar from the edge of the area.
The crossbar was again the hero for Watford a few minutes later. Andre Gomes was brought down 30 yards from goal, Lucas Digne looked to curl it into the top corner, but it took a deflection off the top of the wall and cannoned onto the bar.
Everton now in the driving seat kept on knocking, and it wasn’t long before they got the goal they deserved.
Theo Walcott, who came on as a half time sub for Moise Kean, pressured Craig Cathcart into Everton’s sixth corner of the game. After the initial corner was only half cleared to Alex Iwobi, who forced his way in between Doucouré and Deulofeu.
He looked to pick out someone at the near post, but his cross went straight over everyone and was picked up by Theo Walcott, who then did pick out Mason Holgate with a sumptuous cross who headed home and finally gave Everton the lead.
Everton now in firm control continued to dictate the play and looked to see out the game, and they made sure of that in stoppage time.
With Watford desperately trying to get the equaliser, they left gaps at the back. Cenk Tosun held up the ball just inside his own area and spotted the run of Richarlison down the left. He picked out the Brazilian and set him through on goal, as he raced into the area, he cut inside onto his favoured right foot and smashed the ball past Gomes to send the Gwladys Street into raptures.
After apparently spoiling the summer transfer window last summer, he did spoil the evening for his former employers and booked Everton’s place into the next round of the Carabao Cup.
