Everton booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with an impressive 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday night.
James Garner, Hayden Hackney and Thierno Barry were on target for David Moyes’ side, while Dan Burn scored a late consolation for Newcastle in a match that saw the visitors create several opportunities but struggle to convert their chances.
The victory means Everton will face League Two side Fleetwood Town in the quarter-finals after the latter produced a shock victory over Arsenal earlier in the competition.
Newcastle started the encounter with greater attacking intent and threatened the Everton defence on several occasions during the opening stages.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was called into action early, producing an important save to deny Harvey Barnes, whose header followed a well-delivered cross-field pass from Nico Gonzalez.
Jacob Murphy also saw his effort blocked before Joe Willock tested Pickford from a tight angle, with the Everton goalkeeper spilling the initial attempt before recovering.
Despite Newcastle’s early pressure, Everton gradually found their rhythm and began creating opportunities of their own.
The hosts threatened through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, whose effort was deflected wide, while Tyrique George also came close with a powerful attempt from the edge of the penalty area that Dan Burn blocked.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 34th minute when Garner put Everton ahead with an excellent first-time finish.
The move developed after Pickford launched a long ball forward, which George pursued before dispossessing Amar Dedic on the right side of Newcastle’s defence.
Garner collected the loose ball and wasted little time before unleashing a superb first-time effort, sending it beyond goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček and into the bottom-right corner.
Newcastle attempted to respond before the interval, with Barnes firing wide after combining with Will Osula.
The visitors also appealed for a penalty after Barnes went down following a challenge from James Tarkowski, but referee Farai Hallam waved away the appeals.
Everton, however, delivered another blow just before half-time, doubling their advantage through Hackney in the 45th minute.
The goal came from a quick counterattack after Pickford gathered a deflected effort from Barnes and immediately released Dewsbury-Hall.
The Everton midfielder advanced before Jacob Ramsey brought him down, but referee Hallam played advantage as the ball broke towards Barry on the left.
Barry subsequently delivered a well-timed cross into the penalty area, where Hackney arrived at pace and calmly opened his body before guiding a low finish beyond Horníček into the bottom-left corner.
It was a beautifully executed move that gave Everton a commanding 2-0 lead heading into the break.
Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle responded by introducing Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga and Joelinton at the beginning of the second half as he attempted to change the direction of the contest.
The substitutions immediately brought additional attacking energy, with Wissa getting an opportunity to reduce the deficit after receiving a clever clipped pass from Willock.
However, the forward failed to lift his header over the advancing Pickford, who stood firm to protect Everton’s two-goal advantage.
Newcastle continued searching for a way back into the contest, with Amar Dedic attempting a long-range effort that took a deflection off Hackney before looping over the crossbar.
Dan Burn also came close with a header from an inswinging corner, but his effort failed to find the target.
The visitors continued applying pressure, but Everton remained organised defensively, with Pickford and the defenders making important interventions to frustrate their opponents.
Hackney was booked in the 60th minute for delaying Newcastle’s restart, while the midfielder later received another warning following a challenge on Lewis Hall.
Newcastle’s attempts to get back into the match ultimately left spaces behind their defence, and Everton exploited them brilliantly to score their third goal in the 69th minute.
Garner intercepted possession in midfield before releasing Dewsbury-Hall with an excellent through ball down the left channel.
Dewsbury-Hall drove into the penalty area and delivered a low cutback towards Barry, who controlled the ball, turned sharply under pressure and fired a composed finish into the top-right corner.
The French striker’s excellent execution left Horníček with little opportunity to make a save, extending Everton’s advantage to 3-0 and putting the hosts firmly in control.
Newcastle refused to surrender and continued pushing forward in search of a consolation goal.
Willock tested Pickford shortly after Barry’s strike, forcing the Everton goalkeeper into another important intervention.
However, the visitors struggled to find a breakthrough as Everton maintained their defensive discipline.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall received a yellow card in the 74th minute for a poorly timed challenge on Wissa, while Fabian Schär and Vitaliy Mykolenko were also booked following a confrontation in the 81st minute.
Newcastle eventually found the back of the net in the 89th minute when Burn rose highest inside the Everton penalty area to head home a cross from Elanga.
The defender’s powerful header found the bottom-right corner, reducing the deficit to 3-1 and giving Newcastle a late consolation.
However, the goal was followed by an ugly confrontation inside the Everton goalmouth, with Burn and Joelinton becoming involved in an exchange with Pickford.
Tarkowski intervened as players from both teams gathered around the incident, resulting in yellow cards for Burn, Joelinton, Pickford and Tarkowski.
Newcastle attempted to mount a late response during stoppage time, but Everton remained composed and successfully protected their advantage until the final whistle.
The result ended Newcastle’s hopes of progressing in the competition and secured Everton’s place in the last eight.
Despite Newcastle enjoying considerable attacking opportunities, Everton’s clinical finishing proved decisive, with Garner, Hackney and Barry making the most of their chances.
Moyes will now turn his attention to the quarter-final encounter against Fleetwood Town, with Everton having an opportunity to move closer to their first major domestic cup semi-final since 2016.
