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Everton win again but at what cost..

By Matt Townsend

Everton's English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (C) shoots to score his team's fourth goal for his hat-trick during the English League Cup fourth round football match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on September 30, 2020. (Photo by Alex Livesey / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ALEX LIVESEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Everton's English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (C) shoots to score his team's fourth goal for his hat-trick during the English League Cup fourth round football match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on September 30, 2020. (Photo by Alex Livesey / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ALEX LIVESEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Everton delivered another superb performance last night as they beat West Ham United 4-1 to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, but suffered injuries to key players Richarlison and Allan as well as Jonjo Kenny.

For some strange reason I had a premonition of sorts about this game. I felt that while it was likely Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti would pick a strong team last night and he did, the decision might cost the Toffees and could have serious repercussions for the season overall.

The Toffees boss was perfectly justified in picking a stronger team to play Premier League opposition with a place in a domestic cup quarter-final at stake. It was on balance the right decision to make.

He also confirmed after the game that Richarlison’s injury wasn’t too serious and he could be in contention for the weekend, so that’s some good news. But if his compatriot has a groin strain, that’s likely to be more long-term.

Kenny’s injury is not so crucial to the Premier League season, as he wasn’t a member of the first-team, but it now leaves Ancelotti without any reserve at right-back.

It’s very difficult to be optimistic when you look at the Blues track record with injuries. Kenny and Allan, who has been a key element of Everton’s superb start to the season, now join Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite on the treatment table.

Losing the Brazilian ball-winner for any length of time, would be a big blow and could possibly undermine the Toffees fantastic start to the campaign.

One thing that might help is that after the weekend’s game against Brighton, there is an international break, which hopefully will give him more chance to recover before the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on the 17th October.

Back to the actual game and it was another goal fest as Everton scored four, playing some brilliant football at times and Dominic Calvert-Lewin produced another scintillating centre-forward display. He was lethal and bagged his second hat-trick of the season in just six games.

The form of the Blues striker is a massive plus and he is providing increasing evidence  that he can become a genuine top class centre-forward, perhaps as good as anyone in the Premier League.

Everton lined up at the start of the match with a mixture of the players who had played throughout this Carabao Cup campaign and senior players, including Allan and Rodriguez, as I had thought would be the case.

The first half saw the Toffees in control and they were soon in front as Micheal Keane played a great ball over the top and Calvert-Lewin superbly controlled it and swept it home, basically in the same movement.

West Ham were very much second best and rarely troubled the home team’s goal and the Blues were in control. But Everton didn’t add to that goal before half-time.

Then straight after the break, West Ham were back in it as Robert Snodgrass equalised for the Hammers with the home team not yet back in their first half groove.

The Toffees responded well showing the concentration, resolve and confidence that has marked this season. They got back in front as Richarlison picked up the ball ran at the West Ham defence and then unleashed a powerful drive that took a big deflection off the back of Declan Rice and into the West Ham net.

The Brazil forward then had to leave the field, despite trying to keep going, but hopefully he might not be too badly hurt.

Soon after that he was joined in the dressing room by his international team mate Allan, who looked as though he had pulled a groin muscle.

These injuries and subsequent substitutions disrupted Everton’s rhythm and the Hammers had their best spell at this stage. Then Calvert-Lewin popped up again to produce a classic poachers finish after Alex Iwobi’s shot had hit the post and make it 3-1 and game over.

He added his third and the Toffee’s fourth, with another excellent goal latching onto Gylfi Sigurdsson’s fine ball.

So the Blues march on and wait to see who they will face in the quarter-finals when the competition resumes next year.

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The more immediate issue though is the injuries. Although Allan’s looks the more serious, I think that any long-term absence of Richarlison would possibly be more difficult for Everton to cope with.

If Fabian Delph plays like he did last night, alongside an Abdoulaye Doucoure playing in a more disciplined way, they might be able to cope without Allan for a few weeks at least. That’s still a big if because Delph has flattered to deceive in the past, but let’s hope he can fill in effectively for a little while.

However, there is no one in the Toffees squad who can currently replace Richarlison’s pace, power, skill and work rate up front. Losing him for any sustained period, would have a significant consequence for the Blues attacking potential. His abilities and commitment has helped Calvert-Lewin to become the goal-scoring machine he is at the moment.

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What all this does underline, is that while Everton now have a strong starting eleven, there is still a lack of quality in-depth. We can only hope that these injuries are not as bad as they appeared. Still to finish on a positive note, this is now the Blues best start to a season since 1938-39, when they went on to claim the last league title before World War Two!