It wasn’t a prolific performance from Everton, but it was a comfortable one, dispatching League One Mansfield Town at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to advance to the second round of the EFL Cup.

The Blues had 66% possession, 14 shots, and a whopping 604 completed passes, while limiting the opposition to just three shots with none on target. But more importantly,  some of Everton’s best players on the night did not start against Brighton at the weekend — a welcome change from the paper-thin squads of recent seasons.​

Carlos Alcaraz tested the Mansfield keeper early with a nice effort from outside the box in the 13th minute, and got Everton’s opener from a similar area early in the second half, curling in a beautiful effort from Harrison Armstrong's lay-off.

Armstrong picked up a second assist in the 90th minute, making a smart run into the box after a gorgeous through ball from James Garner, and squaring it to substitute Beto for a tap-in.

Dwight McNeil made some decent runs into the penalty area and finished level with Vitaliy Mykolenko for the most completed crosses in the match.

While captain Seamus Coleman stepped in at right back to deliver a vintage performance, playing the full 90 minutes of a competitive match for the first time since August of 2024. To go along with positive performances from squad players, David Moyes made use of the added quality on the bench.

When Everton crashed out of the League Cup against Southampton last season, the three substitutes Sean Dyche brought on to try and rescue the game were Ashley Young, Jack Harrison, and Tim Iroegbunam.

The rest of the bench on that night consisted of two goalkeepers and four academy players: Jordan Pickford, Asmir Begovic, Bradley Moonan, Luke Butterfield, Martin Sherif, and Owen Barker. That was after already playing young Roman Dixon at right back, and Dwight McNeil as a makeshift left-back.

Fast-forward to today, and David Moyes was able to comfortably bring off Jack Grealish after 60 minutes, replacing him with new signing Tyler Dibling. Dibling, who joined the club just yesterday, showed glimpses of his talent during his time on the pitch.

Moyes also brought on Beto to replace the tiring Barry, as well as Tim Iroegbunam, Iliman Ndiaye, and Jake O’Brien to help see out the game. Each substitute could be viewed as a regular first-team player for Everton. All this while leaving new signing and one of Everton’s better performers from the weekend, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, on the bench.

There’s certainly still room to grow; Moyes will still want more from his strikers, and the right-back situation leaves much to be desired. But the improvement to the overall squad was visible tonight.

Now Moyes is left with a conundrum not faced by an Everton manager for several years: who do you leave out, and who do you start on Sunday?

Reader Comments (10)

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Jeff Spiers
1 Posted 28/08/2025 at 08:47:01
What was the attendance?
Andrew Ellams
2 Posted 28/08/2025 at 08:49:08
Just under 50,000 Jeff
Mark Murphy
3 Posted 28/08/2025 at 10:13:31
I quite enjoyed that! It was a million miles away from past, nervy, early rounds matches against lower opposition and we dealt with Mansfield comfortably.
I thought Alcaraz was exceptional in the first half and it was great to see Mykolenko back and seemingly comfortable. Armstrongs performance was also a bonus and I think we should use him in the squad rather than loan him out, unless we get more midfielders in this window.
Ashley Krotosky
4 Posted 28/08/2025 at 11:31:32
Yes there's progress from last year's exit v Southampton, in terms of bench quality, but several (well known) squad areas still too thin, and a couple of injuries here and there will again reveal the threadbare limits of the squad. This includes LB where VM seems to be injury prone, and Aznou may not be ready. How about bringing in Chilwell anyone?

We are hoping that playing in Europe will put the likes of Palace, Forrest, Villa, Newcastle etc under strain in the PL, so that we can leapfrog some to replace them in Europe next year. If some players, (Armstrong, Chermitti, Aznou etc) can be improved by playing elsewhere, regularly on loan, -and stay registered, they could be put to good use next season- should qualification for Europe be achieved, when a much larger squad would be needed.

Ian Bennett
5 Posted 28/08/2025 at 11:51:25
there was a fair amount of segregation with mansfield fans taking their cup allocation.

It was sold out last night, but didn't meet capacity due to segregation or fans buying tickets and not turning up.

Tommy Carter
6 Posted 28/08/2025 at 12:10:08
@4 Ashley

I would favour a move for either Zinchenko or Kiwior from Arsenal ahead of Chilwell.

I can't see that either will get much playing time this season with the amount of top class defenders Arsenal have.

A loan move for Kiwior would be my preferred option. With Mykolenko his deputy and Aznou put out on loan.

Andrew Merrick
7 Posted 28/08/2025 at 12:35:46
The squad is much improved from this time last year, having Myko back made the shape better. Seamus lasted the game, and although the opposition was not prem, the new longer pitch adds a bit to match fitness.
Barry is yet to convince me, but he is one of many on a learning curve.
Mcneil seems to get good stats, but isn't so good on the eye due to him having no right foot at all.
Alcaraz and Armstrong are coming on really well so overall the squad depth is really coming along, BUT we so need a quality RB.
Derek Taylor
8 Posted 28/08/2025 at 15:10:26
It's beginning to look as though we shall 'go post window' without a genuine centre forward in place. I see both Beto and Barry as mere pretenders to the role and the failure to 'finish' excellent attacking moves will present the main barrier to any kind of real achievement. In short, a big waste of all that money spent on Grealish & Co. !
Paul Hughes
9 Posted 28/08/2025 at 15:32:24
I thought McNeil had a 'mare, to be honest. He may have put in a large number of crosses, but they were all ill-directed or overhit. Being charitable, it can be put down, I suppose, to lack of match sharpness.
Barry looks raw, and unattuned to the pace of the English game, but I think there is a player in there somewhere.
Seamus was exceptional, did not put a foot wrong all evening.
Scott Hamilton
10 Posted 28/08/2025 at 16:01:17
When you think that Branflakes is still out injured, Ndiaye didn’t start, Dewsbury-Hall was left on the bench, and Pickford wasnt included in the squad, there’s soooo much more depth than before.

I thought Seamus was immense. I’d genuinely written-off his contract extension as an act of charity but he proved otherwise last night.

McNeil is starting to look a bit ‘old Everton’; all effort but very little quality. I can see him going in January.

Harrison Armstrong played well but definitely needs more game time. The conundrum is whether it’s better to send him out on loan, where he can play week in week out and come back the finished article, or keep him as a bit part player. My hunch is the former but I’m not 100% sure.

UTFT!!!

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