Everton player ratings as the Blues saw off Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup
Charly Alcaraz of Everton scores his team’s goal (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Charly Alcaraz of Everton scores his team’s goal (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham watched on as Everton finally found a way past Joao Virginia on his first start for Wolves. The Portugal under-21 international, who joined the Championship club during the summer, spent six years with the Blues before departing last year.
And having already kept a Thierno Barry effort out after rushing off his line, he somehow managed to tip the forward’s header over the bar in the first-half stoppage time after James Garner had crossed from the left. Jordan Pickford denied subsittue Adam Armstrong at the start of the second-half, before Virginia was soon called into action again as the Blues piled on the pressure.
With just under 15 minutes to go, David Moyes brought on Charly Alcaraz and Tyrique George and it was the Argentine who finally found a way past Virginia with a nice finish from inside the box which left Burnham and Mark Carney delighted in the stands.
Jordan Pickford - 6
Very little to do during the opening 45 minutes, but he did produce a good save to deny Adam Armstrong at the start of the second-half.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 7
Showed a fine piece of composure to play his way out of trouble on the edge of his own box as Wolves pressed in the opening stages of the game. There is no doubt he is getting better with each passing game.
Jake O’Brien - 5
Went close to the opening goal of the game with a header from a corner before stupidly opting to shoot from range instead of keeping the ball at the end of the first-half. Gave a silly free-kick away towards the end of the game that presented Wolves with an opportunity.
Michael Keane - 6
Solid if not spectacular. Never put a foot wrong from a defensive point of view, but he was also guilty of shooting from range when he should have kept the ball.
Vitalii Mykolenko - 6
Wasted a good chance to give his side the lead when he couldn’t control inside the box. However, he did link up well with Jack Grealish down the left.
James Garner - 6
Got better the more the game went on. Gave the ball away a couple of times during the first-half, but he was unlucky not to claim an assit before his side opened the scoring.
Hayden Hackney - 6
Full of energy, but another who was guilty of giving the ball away cheaply. Should have done better with a chance in the first-half as well.
Tyler Dibling - 7
Started slowly but grew into the game. Was nearly rewarded after some fine individual play towards the end of the first-half, but he would claim an assist when Charly Alcaraz opened the scoring.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - 6
Tried hard, but one of those games when very little came off for him.
Jack Grealish - 7
Everton’s best player in the first-half. Caused Wolves all kinds of problems down the left and also forced Joao Virgina into a fine save. Only criticism was he held on to the ball for too long at times.
Thierno Barry - 6
Should have done better when presented with an opportunity by Dibling and he somehow saw a header saved from Virginia from close-range. No surprise to see him replaced before the hour.
Substitutes
Brennan Johnson - 6
Injected some much needed pace into Everton's attack and also went close to opening the scoring.
Charly Alcaraz - 7
Was the player who finally found a way past Joao Virginia to secure his side's place in the fourth-round. Showed the sort of composure that his team-mates had been lacking.
Tyrique George - 6
Another who injected some much needed pace into this Everton side.