Everton 1 – 2 Luton Town
Everton were thoroughly embarrassed by newly-promoted Luton Town at Goodison Park, giving up two pretty soft goals from set pieces that they could not counter.
Sean Dyche has gone for an attacking line-up with Calvert-Lewin and McNeil upfront, and Graner starting perhaps in a central role in front of his trusted midfield trio. Jack Harrison is on the bench but will hopefully make his Goodison and Premier League debut.
The visitors got things started on a wet Goodison Park, and they did enough to stop any Everton flow, the early play being a bit scrappy. But the ball fell for a tremendous volley from McNeil that whizzed just wide of the post.
McNeil put a decent cross in to Calvert-Lewin who placed his header nicely for Kaminski to collect. A dangerous cross from Luton needed booting behind by Tarkowski, earning an early corner that Pickford claimed. Both teams were playing pretty open football and getting the ball forward.
From a Luton attack, McNeil forced the turnover, Docucoure countered well and played in Garner superly but he wanted to place it… and failed, firing across goal and past the far post.
Everton worked the ball well, Doucoure playing a simple ball back to who? Gana. What a dreadful, dreadful shot. What an abysmal waste of a chance.
A great ball forward from Onana to Garrner was crossed early — way too early for Calvert-Lewin who was still to get himself into the Luton area. Onana worked some space and tried a nice curler that also flew past the post. Five very decent chances in the first 15 minutes: none taken.
In the other direction, Ogbene almost played in Brown, then Morris glanced a header out for a throw-in, and he was offside. But a warning of sorts for the profligate Blues.
Everton tried to build an attack but ended up gifting a turnover that Branthwiat had to recover, brilliantly. Luton still won another corner, Lockyer with a free header flying just over. Warning Number 2.
Everton tried to build again but Onana played the ball forward into space where Calvert-Lewin was not. Luton went forward and won another corner, and another free header that was deflected behind, Another free header, off the bar and bouncing down, Young tried to clear but Lockyer blocked it into the Everton net. Warning not heeded.
Everton tried somewhat laboriously to respond, McNeil eventually putting in a lovely cross but Calvert-Lewin seemed to misjudge it, as it flew wide off the top of his head.
Onana was called for a foul and the free-kick was played deep where Morris, completely unmarked simply half-volleyed it superbly first-time past Pickford. Unbelievable.
Everton looked really poor once they restarted passes going astray, unable to play basic stuff. They finally got the ball forward, Young crossing again but Calvert-Lewin unable to do anything with it, Then in the follow-up at least Gana did not shoot but his cross was to no-one.
But they kept pushing, McNeil’s excellent cross met by Garner leaping very high but he could not keep his header below the crossbar. Everton kept working the ball around but the chances were not really coming, Onana firing ridiculously wide.
Everton did get the ball into the net, Doucoure getting onto Garbner’s cross, Onana coming in and Calvert-Lewin in support, finally scoping it into the net but was he offside? 10 minutes later, the VAR finally decred it was indeed an Everton goal.
With 6 added minutes, Everton won a free-kick that McNeil swung in and it came out to Garner whose shot was into too many bodies. On the next attack, there was an appeal for handball that was not entertained by the VAR.
The Blues play was terribly scrappy, as they were in a state of panic to get forward. Mykolenko crossed too deep for Kaminski to collect and the half-time whistle finally went on a bizarre Everton first-half performance.
Harrison came on for Gana after the break but Luton were still full of it, Doughty skipping down the left wing. Pickford tried to go direct to Calvert-Lewin but he hadn’t got the message. It was combative stuff without much structure, though. Calvert-Lewin’s shot from well outside the area was blocked, and Luton could again run at Everton, winning another corner that was cleared.
Harrison and Young were trying to combine down the Everton right but could not really penetrate the Luton area. It wasn’t really working so Beto came on in place of Doucouré just in time for a corner won by McNeil but Luton were defending resolutely. Harrisson was crossing directly to Luton defenders.
Calvert-Lewin tried a difficult volley that he could only send bobbling across the face of goal. Luton went straight up the other end and embarrassed Everton again but Morris had stepped a foot offside and the goal did not stand.
Morris and Branthwaite went up for the same ball and both came down heavily as Everton still struggled to impose themselves on the game, and still bringing all players back to defend corners.
Harrison tried a heavy cross to Beto running in at the far post but it was never on. Garner was next to cross in but McNeil was the wrong side of Kabore; however, they won a corner but it was cleared. Branthwaite wiped out Andersen.
Mengi seemed to push Calvert-Lewin over as they sought the ball, but not enough for a penalty. The ball was then planted on Beto’s head 6 yards out and he could not miss… but he did, with a really poor effort. He tried a very difficult strike on a ball crossing his line of travel. Needless to say, it didn’t come off.
Patterson on for Young but nothing was really changing the relentless pattern of play, with Everton continually frustrated at the sharp end as nothing seemed to be working. Beto and Calvert-Lewin were not in any way forming a potent attacking strikeforce.
A deep cross from Patterson won a corner but still no decent chance on the Luton goal. Danjuma came on and tried a volleyed early cross but it was too far ahead of Calvert-Lewin. Garner put in what looked to be a great cross for Beto but his body language was all wrong.
The Blues were given an added 7 minutes to snatch a draw. Calvert-Lewin tried another difficult shot on a long hoof ball, bouncing away from goal. He hit the side netting. Pickford’s heavy forward balls were sailing over the byeline.
In the end, it was sheer embarrassment as Everton could not raise a glove to the very happy Hatters.
Everton: Pickford, Young (78′ Patterson), Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Gana (46′ Harrison), Doucoure (60′ Beto), Garner, Calvert-Lewin, McNeil (83′ Danjuma).
Subs not Used: Virginia, Keane, Godfrey, Dobbin, Chermiti.
Luton Town: Kaminski, Doughty (83′ Woodrow), Lockyer (56′ Mengi), Burke (46′ Andersen), Bell, Kabore [Y:66′], Brown, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Ogbene, Morris (78′ Adebayo).
Subs not Used: Krul, Berry, Chong, Giles, Johnson.