Everton quietly make FA Cup history in third-round exit vs Sunderland
Everton experienced FA Cup misery as they lost 3-0 on penalties to Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, making some history in the process.
The third-round match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes of action, with James Garner’s 89th-minute penalty bailing Everton out of danger after Enzo Le Fee gave Sunderland the lead.
In the penalty shootout, Garner, Thierno Barry and Beto all missed from 12 yards, with Luke O’Nien converting the winning penalty to leave the home supporters bitterly disappointed.
As a result, Everton have created FA Cup history due to their woeful finishing from the penalty spot, and David Moyes was undoubtedly furious with how the game transpired.
Everton make FA Cup history after their penalty madness vs Sunderland
The Toffees have failed to get past the fourth round of the FA Cup in the last three years, and their recent record in the competition isn’t flattering.
Everton are now the first team in FA Cup history (excl. qualifying rounds) to score a penalty in normal or extra time but fail to score any in a penalty shootout in the same game.
The initial penalty Garner scored in normal time was an incredibly soft one, with Adam Aznou going over after a challenge from Trai Hume.
For Moyes, Everton’s loss to Sunderland was a painful one, and his side now just has the Premier League to play for.
With the Toffees sitting just six points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, European football next season doesn’t seem unrealistic, although there has to be a huge amount of improvement in the final third.
Moyes is doing a brilliant job for the Toffees, but it’s evident that results have gone against them due to their issues in attack.
Everton’s penalty issues sum up their struggles under David Moyes
Barry’s struggles in front of goal and Beto’s inconsistency from close range have left Everton with the need to buy a new number nine.
The Toffees have been incredibly reliant on Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye in the final third, and they currently have the seventh-worst attack in the league.
Scoring 23 goals from 21 league matches simply isn’t enough for a side that has ambitions of recording a first top-half finish since 2020-21.
| Everton | Stats | Sunderland |
| 45% | Possession | 55% |
| 1.3314 | Shots | 18 |
| 1.33 | Expected goals | 0.88 |
| 1 | Big chances missed | 0 |
| 83% | Pass accuracy | 86% |
Journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Everton are pushing to sign Roma striker Artem Dovbyk, but they face competition from Serie A sides Como, AC Milan and Napoli.
He looks to be the main target who could move to L4, with moves for Evan Ferguson and Ivan Toney not likely in this moment in time.
It’s a desperate priority that must be addressed; otherwise, the promising start to the campaign could amount to nothing by the end of the season.