Bournemouth thump Everton in EFL Cup third round
Bournemouth thrashed Everton in a meeting of much-changed Premier League sides in the Carabao Cup third round.
Blues boss Frank Lampard made 11 changes, and his side lost to a team with nine alterations from the weekend.
The Cherries led via Jamal Lowe’s deflected shot, and Junior Stanislas finished following a defensive error. Substitute Demarai Gray pulled one back for Everton, before Emiliano Marcondes and Jaidon Anthony secured Bournemouth’s place in the last 16.
Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil and Everton counterpart Lampard made wholesale changes, with the final round of Premier League games before the 2022 World Cup coming up this weekend.
Only goalkeeper Mark Travers and central defender Chris Mepham kept their places for the hosts from their incredible 4-3 loss at Leeds United on Saturday.
Lampard went even further, completely switching his starting XI from Saturday’s defeat by Leicester, including giving a first Everton start to summer signing James Garner.
It was the new-look Cherries who adapted quicker, leading after seven minutes when Lowe’s effort struck Nathan Patterson and looped into the net with keeper Asmir Begovic stranded.
Everton had the better of the first-half chances thereafter – inside the opening 16 minutes Tom Davies blasted a one-on-one over, Travers saved well from Garner and Anthony Gordon misdirected a header over the bar from six yards.
Gordon should have been sent off for a two-footed lunge on Jordan Zemura shortly before half-time, but instead got away with his seventh booking in 14 games this season and should be thankful for the lack of VAR in the EFL Cup.
Everton’s supporters voiced their displeasure at Lampard throughout the game for his decision to make so many changes, upset at the chance of a first major trophy since 1995 being given up.
Having gone unbeaten in his first six games as interim Bournemouth boss following the sacking of Scott Parker, O’Neil has overseen defeats in each of his past four matches.
However, a cup run will do his chances of a permanent appointment no harm – although had Everton taken their chances it could have been a very different story.
Instead, Everton gifted Bournemouth captain Stanislas a goal on 47 minutes. Mason Holgate slipped as Begovic passed to him, allowing Ryan Christie to steal it.
He squared to Lowe whose shot was blocked by Begovic, however it rebounded to Stanislas to tuck away with covering defender Michael Keane slow to respond.
Stanislas spoke highly of O’Neil after the game, telling BBC Radio Solent: “He’s been brilliant for all of us. We’ve worked with him for a couple of seasons.
“He’s done the best he can and we’ve picked up some really good results. He’s always driving us and pushing us.
“We don’t know what is going to go on over the winter break but hopefully we can sign off on a high on Saturday.”
Lampard threw on Alex Iwobi, Dwight McNeil and Gray to try to rescue the match, and the latter did make an impact on 67 minutes by curling the ball past Travers to make it 2-1.
Bournemouth gave away two-goal leads in their past two Premier League games, but on this occasion took their chances to secure a comfortable win.
Marcondes slotted from close range before Anthony finished low after Patterson gave the ball away, to further increase O’Neil’s chances of landing the Vitality Stadium manager’s job on a full-time basis.
