Everton beat Mansfield Town 2-0 in their first-ever cup game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup.
It was a comfortable evening for David Moyes and his players who were hardly threatened by their League Two opponents. The Blues dominated possession and created all the chances, scoring twice through Charly Alcaraz and Beto in the opening and closing minutes of the first half.
Mansfield Town finished the match without any shots on target as the Blues backline, led by James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, captain Seamus Coleman, and the returning Vitalii Mykolenko held their own.
Tyler Dibling made his first appearance for the Blues, coming off the bench after an hour, while Mark Travers, making his Everton debut in between the sticks, had little to do. 18-year-old Harrison Armstrong looked impressive after playing the entire 90 minutes and assisting both of Everton’s goals on the night.
Ratings for Everton players against Mansfield Town:
Mark Travers – 6
The Everton debutant had very little to do during the match, to be honest. Looked comfortable while collecting crosses and clearing danger.
Seamus Coleman – 7
The Everton captain made his first start for the club at their new stadium after leading the boys out for one final time at Goodison Park in May. He may be past his prime physically, but Coleman’s wisdom, experience and grit was on show for most of the game. He snuffed out danger and asserted dominance on the right flank.
Michael Keane – 6
It was a comfortable game for Keane, whose pressing led to a chance for Beto, which he should’ve converted. Keane also ventured forward and took up spaces in the final third during the first half when the Blues were struggling to break through the Mansfield defence.
James Tarkowski – 6
Had an imposing game at the centre of the backline. Blocked an effort from Regan Hendry in the second half with his head which could’ve been Mansfield’s first shot on target.
Vitalii Mykolenko – 7 (subbed off for Jake O’Brien at 87’)
Promising game from Mykolenko on his return from injury. He ventured up and down the left flank and provided a cross in the second half that could’ve been scored by Thierno Barry.
James Garner – 7
Garner was back to his usual role in midfield, and along with young Harrison Armstrong, the duo did quite well. Garner provided the delicious ball that broke through the Mansfield defence before Armstrong squared it to Beto for a tap-in to secure the insurance goal for Everton late in the second half.
Harrison Armstrong – 8
Armstrong made the most of his opportunity and left a strong impression with his performance tonight. He always showed for the ball and was in the thick of things. The 18-year-old had his shot saved by the opposition keeper from an acute angle in the first half.
Armstrong showed composure for both his assists to Alcaraz and Beto tonight. He also sent a lovely ball through to Iliman Ndiaye who could only find the side netting with his toe poke attempt.
Jack Grealish – 7 (subbed off for Tyler Dibling on 60’)
Another strong performance from Everton’s statement summer signing, who showed plenty of intent. Grealish created great chances for Dwight McNeil and Armstrong, which they couldn’t convert in the first half. The 29-year-old could’ve scored his first goal for the club but wrapped his foot under the ball from close range.
Charly Alcaraz – 8 (subbed off for Iliman Ndiaye on 78’)
Charly Alcaraz had a lovely game after slotting into his natural number 10 role. He had Everton’s first shot on target with a lovely run and was lively while combining with teammates in the final third. Alcaraz also produced a great finish from the edge of the box to break the deadlock early in the second half.
Dwight McNeil – 6 (subbed off for Tim Iroegbunam on 78’)
While McNeil’s early crosses looked lethal from the right, they got predictable and easy to read after a while. He made a lovely mazy run in the second half and should’ve done better with the golden opportunity that Grealish teed him up with.
Faded out of the game after the half-hour mark and went to his favoured position on the left for a few minutes after Grealish got taken off, before coming off himself.
Thierno Barry – 6 (subbed off for Beto on 60’)
It was a mixed bag of a game for Barry, making it hard to rate him objectively. His holdup play was good and some of his touches and passes were smartly executed but the 6’4” Frenchman lacked lethal prowess inside the box. He was involved in the build-up to Everton’s opening goal.
Substitutes
Tyler Dibling – 6
Dibling was greeted by a huge roar from the crowd after making his first appearance in Blue at the hour mark. Kept things ticking and some of his touches and feints showed the class the 19-year-old possesses.
Beto – 6
It was an odd game for the Everton number 9. While he did get the all-important second goal to provide relief to the supporters, he also caused a lot of frustration on other occasions. Beto was played through on goal after Keane won the ball high up the pitch but his shot lacked power and conviction.
The Guinea-Bissau international also headed wide from a testing Mykolenko cross before failing to capitalise from a pass by Iroegbunam towards the closing stages.
Tim Iroegbunam – 6
Iroegbunam provided solidity in the middle of the park and helped his side see out the game. He could’ve bagged an assist had Beto been more clinical.
Iliman Ndiaye – 6
The Everton number 10 had a bright moment when he made his way into the box after being played through by Armstrong, only to find the side-netting with a cheeky toe-poke attempt.
Jake O’Brien – N/A
Came on in the dying minutes and slotted in at left-back, a new role for him.
Reader Comments (27)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()
Bill Fairfield
1 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:01:59
Armstrong had a very good game, in a comfortable win.
The allocation of tickets for this game was a joke to say the least. Emails sent to fans to download tickets at 18:13 on the night of the match is just not good enough.
Si Cooper
2 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:09:44
I’ve no problem with those ratings. No one let us down.
This squad must still be getting to know each other so things should get appreciably better.
Mike Hayes
3 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:20:56
Give the new lads time to bed in and gel we have the making of a decent team that should be right up there in the mix of the top 10 at least. Nice win in this competition and we stand a chance of a decent run and maybe just maybe this elusive cup could be ours 🤷🥳💙
Neil Lawson
4 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:28:05
Moyes now has some interesting decisions to make for Saturday. I am sure Garner and Gueye will start together but any combination of Grealish, Ndiaye, Alcaraz, Dewsbury-Hall, Dibling and Armstrong offers real hope for the future. Just need someone to stick the ball in the net.
Lewis Barclay
5 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:44:34
Id like to see Ndiaye play up top with Grealish Charly and Dibling behind, for 15 mins to see how it works.
Colin Malone
6 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:49:16
Must wrap Seamus in cotton wool.
Derek Knox
7 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:52:46
Just got back from the match, enduring traffic congestion, a bit disappointed in a lot of lacklustre contributions from some of our so-called stars. Barry could have been Beto tonight failing to control some easy balls, and spurning a couple of chances.
Still we are in the next round which is a bonus, without too much egg on our faces, unlike a team up the M62. Can’t see Amorim lasting the season out !
Si Cooper
8 Posted
27/08/2025 at
23:54:57
Colin, hopefully we can achieve that by bringing in a first class RB and letting Seamus just fill in occasionally.
Derek, I dont think we got any egg on our face from that performance. Commentators didnt sound like they thought so either.
Mark Taylor
9 Posted
28/08/2025 at
00:15:21
It was OK no better, no worse. As Clough said before the game, the gulf is large, our second team would beat their first team 9 times out of 10.
Mind you, over at Grimsby, it was the 1 in 10 occurring
Martin Berry
10 Posted
28/08/2025 at
00:27:28
For the first time since 1985 I really feel excited about Everton as a team.
Everyone tonight wanted to show, yes it was Mansfield but with respect they played well and were set up accordingly.
We are a great team in the making and with a few more additions we will challenge the top ? six, I have no doubts.
Steve Shave
11 Posted
28/08/2025 at
00:55:55
Love the optimism Martin, good man! I hope you are right.
John Pickles
12 Posted
28/08/2025 at
01:05:04
Awesome stadium, promising looking squad, long overdue optimism for the future.
Charly was MOTM for me today, he was all over the pitch and battled for every ball.
Glenn Lambert-Vickers
13 Posted
28/08/2025 at
01:43:14
Couldn’t agree with you more, #5 Lewis than try that with Ilyman maybe playing a false nine. Could really upset some CBs like the RS pair. We do need to get a real goal scoring threat..
Jay Harris
14 Posted
28/08/2025 at
02:45:25
In previous years I could see that being 0-0 or 0-1 but I thought we dominated for most of the game and with more application and better ball control up front we would have had the game wrapped up by HT.
Having said that I thought the rest of our play was pretty good.
Oh to have Richy back as our number 9.
Lester Yip
15 Posted
28/08/2025 at
04:54:13
Armstrong looks really good for an 18 year old. Loan him out so he can play more games. Definitely one to keep.
Iroegbunam also looks good. Keep him for rotation. I think CM looks good now.
Danny O’Neill
16 Posted
28/08/2025 at
06:27:05
The manager picked a strong team to win, and we won. We are in the hat for the third round and it was pleasing to take the competition seriously. There is a trip to Wembley, a trophy and a place in Europe at the end of this.
I won’t dwell on the usual suspects.
Harrison, not for the first time, more than impressed me. Calm on the ball and has an eye for a forward pass, more than a couple perfectly weighted through balls onto the runner.
Dibling showed glimpses when he came on. Was it just me, or is he another who likes to cut in from the flank? Hard to say when I’ve only seen that fleeting cameo.
Special mentions to Seamus and Mykolenko. No disrespect to the opposition, Seamus rolling back the years and Mykolenko making a strong come back from injury.
Bobby Mallon
17 Posted
28/08/2025 at
06:34:57
Lester @15. What is it with wanting to loan out one of our star players. Armstrong ffs should be in every squad if fit, NOT loaned out.
Derek Thomas
18 Posted
28/08/2025 at
06:44:56
Bobby @17; Spot On! He’s proved he can hack it when at Derby, he’s got to be here to be seen putting pressure on the ‘big names’
John Keating
19 Posted
28/08/2025 at
06:45:31
Have to agree with Bobby in that Armstrong has to stay
I understand some younger players can improve greatly going out on loan, however, in Armstrongs case I think we will need him in the squad as the season progresses and injuries occur
We will also lose players to the African Nations and to be honest, as our squad is still thin, I dont think anyone in our present squad, including Cherniti,should go out on loan unless we have a recall clause inserted
Ian Bennett
20 Posted
28/08/2025 at
06:48:42
Thought Armstrong looked very decent. Faded a bit at the end of the first half, they all did, but he looks a player. Strong, quick, and didn’t give the ball away.
Overall I thought it was a good run out. Mansfield were well organised and had a good away following. They got into a good shape, and our crossing was poor or chances scratched at.
We looked decent enough at the back. I thought the full backs could have played higher, and asked more questions – but they cant/wont/perhaps instructed not to. That was perhaps why we didnt create or dominate more with out numbering them where you needed it.
Danny, Dibbling is exactly that. A player that can go outside and cross with his right, but prefers to cut in with his left and shoot. Looks technically decent enough, and has a robust frame that looks like he can survive the rigours of top flight football.
Jerome Shields
21 Posted
28/08/2025 at
07:07:58
Chermiti to go out on loan? Looks like he is down the pecking order, with Barry’s arrival.
Ian Burns
22 Posted
28/08/2025 at
09:27:13
I despair when people suggest Armstrong should go out on loan! He is – and should remain – very much part of the first team squad and I am sure before the season ends he will be a regular starter. Last night he proved he is where he belongs, despite the lower league opposition.
Laurie Hartley
23 Posted
28/08/2025 at
09:31:40
Jerome # 21 – in his post match presser Moyes, when asked why Chermeti wasnt in the match day squad, responded along the lines that “he may be leaving – so were looking after him”.
Craig Scott
24 Posted
28/08/2025 at
09:57:00
Pleased to see Armstrong having a good game. We need to see youngsters like him coming through from the academy and being given opportunities.
He justified the good ratings
Kevin Prytherch
25 Posted
28/08/2025 at
10:05:04
The problem with keeping Armstrong is that hes probably our 5th choice midfielder behind Gueye, Garner, Ireogbunam and Dewsbury-Hall. So hell probably be limited to cameos off the bench.
For his development – hed probably be better off going on loan until January, playing lots of games, then competing for a place when Gueye is at the African Cup of Nations
Brian Harrison
26 Posted
28/08/2025 at
10:19:57
As everybody has said Harrison Armstrong had a very good game, and last night it looked as if Seamus had never been away. The whole back 4 were solid and good to see Mykolenko is back from injury. I think Moyes biggest headache is our main striker role, Barry will take time to play that difficult lone striker role, and although he scored I don’t think Moyes sees Beto as our long term answer.
Alcaraz scored a lovely goal, but last night playing in the 10 role to often wanted to drift back into his more natural midfield position and left Barry with no support. McNeil looked well off the pace but seeing how little game time he has had that’s understandable, but I struggle to see him getting many starts this season, but he may be useful off the bench in some games. As far as young Dibling is concerned, we need no to expect to much in the first few weeks as he is learning the system we play and also learning about his team mates. Travers had little or nothing to do, flapped at the only corner he had to deal with but again you cant judge any player on 1 or 2 games.
Edward Rogers
27 Posted
28/08/2025 at
10:27:25
Brian@26
” You can’t judge players on 1 or 2 games” Are you sure? There’s plenty on ToffeeWeb who do just that unfortunately.
How to get rid of these ads and support TW
© ToffeeWeb