Everton’s Barkley and Deulofeu drag victory from confusion at Reading
Reading 1 - 2 EvertonEverton made hard work of this tie and looked distinctly out of sorts for long periods but they are safely through to the fourth round for the first time since 2011 thanks to second-half goals from Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu, undoing a Reading team that impressed with the exception of Ali Al-Habsi. The Championship side’s second-choice goalkeeper will be desperate to forget his mistake, parrying Deulofeu’s free-kick into his own net.
Nick Blackman had given Reading a deserved lead and an effervescent and experimental Royals should take encouragement despite defeat. Barkley equalised in the 62nd minute with a delightful, low left-footed volley and Everton’s pressure told with Deulofeu’s winner confirming their progression.
On paper this was a strong Everton team, though Roberto Martínez could have been accused beforehand of attempting to put square pegs in round holes by placing Aaron Lennon at right-back with Seamus Coleman not considered worth risking due to a persistent hamstring issue. Tyias Browning, who started there against Swansea last weekend was demoted to the substitutes’ bench.
Defenders might have been in short supply but one thing not lacking in the starting lineup was attacking talent. For the vast majority of the opening half it all looked a tad confused, though. Barkley was often dropping deeper than James McCarthy, Leon Osman struggled to impose himself on the left and the front two of Romelu Lukaku and Arouna Koné were living off minimal service. Deulofeu, meanwhile, flattered to deceive, a couple of fizzing crosses excepted.
Reading’s manager, Steve Clarke, had promised “significant changes” and gave first starts to four players while only three remained from the team that won 2-0 at Bristol City in the Championship on Saturday. Considering the quartet of new faces, including the loanees Lucas Piazon from Chelsea and Ola John from Benfica, formed all but one slot of a five-man midfield, a degree of unfamiliarity might have been expected during the initial exchanges. That was simply not the case.
While Koné shot wide after Barkley fed him on the edge of the area seven minutes in, the hosts looked the far more likely. Blackman, leading the Reading line with a vigour absent in their Premier League opposition’s ranks, forced two corners with mid-range efforts, the first producing a scrambling save from Joel Robles, before the goalkeeper saved with his leg from the striker 22 minutes in.
Lukaku, in comparison, was largely subdued, battering a wild shot way over. Robles denied John but should have done more to prevent a corner that Jake Cooper went close to converting after John’s flick on.
Gerard Deulofeu scored Everton’s winner against Reading in the the Capital One Cup
Blackman’s moment would arrive minutes later. Barkley relinquished possession in midfield to Álex Fernández and he worked it out left. John, supported by Andrew Taylor, had the beating of Lennon and sent in a deep, looping cross. Ramiro Funes Mori dithered and Blackman arrived at the back post to slot home first time. Funes Mori’s bewildered reaction suggested he was unaware of the 25-year-old’s presence behind him.
A pair of Everton corners followed immediately and Deulofeu had a penalty claim turned down by the referee, Keith Hill, after running in to Taylor, who shielded the ball well, before falling to the ground. Every subsequent touch from the Spaniard up to half-time was loudly met with boos from an incensed home support.
Such a flaccid performance meant Martínez had little option but to alter the system and personnel at the break. Koné was hooked for Barry, a move that allowed Barkley and Osman a chance to push forward. Yet things got worse before improving as John Stones limped off gingerly four minutes after the restart.
Everton did increase their attacking output, not that it was difficult considering their paltry return in the opening half, and Funes Mori headed over a Barkley free-kick from the right. The game grew stretched, gaps began to appear and chances fell at both ends. Michael Hector intercepted a Deulofeu cut-back with Osman lurking dangerously before John, who floated impressively behind Blackman all evening for Reading, zipped narrowly over from 25 yards.
Barkley, however, achieved parity courtesy of a sumptuous volley from 16 yards, even if questions will be asked about the quality of Fernández’s attempted header away from Deulofeu’s corner. The Reading midfielder’s clearance fell straight to Barkley, though he still had to execute an impressive finish.
Deulofeu will be credited with the winner as his free-kick was on target but Al-Habsi will have nightmares having fumbled an effort that was not exactly ferocious and at an ideal height into his bottom right corner.
Guardian