Everton defeated Preston North End 4-0 in the Round of 64 of the League Cup at Deepdale on Tuesday evening. Thierno Barry opened the scoring inside the first half and went on to complete a hat-trick, with Brennan Johnson adding a fourth goal late in the match. The visitors controlled proceedings from the opening whistle.
Barry broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, finishing a move that had Preston on the back foot. The home side tried to respond but could not create anything meaningful. To be fair, Preston's defence worked hard but lacked protection in midfield.
Everton doubled their lead in the 59th minute, Barry finding the net again from close range. The crowd fell silent as Preston made four substitutions in quick succession at the 60th minute, hoping to change the momentum. James Garner and Tyler Dibling came on for Everton shortly after.
Barry completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute, and Johnson added a fourth goal two minutes later. The match was effectively over by then, with Everton comfortably managing the remaining time. Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were among the late changes for the hosts.
Everton's statistics told the story of the game. They held 68 per cent possession and created five big chances compared to Preston's zero. The visitors registered 10 shots on target with an expected goals total of 3.94, while Preston managed just one shot on target with an xG of 0.34. Chances went begging on neither side, but the quality gap was clear.
The result sends Everton through to the next round of the competition. Preston's League Cup campaign ends with a heavy defeat that reflects their struggle to compete against a superior side. The hosts have now lost three of their last five matches across all competitions.
