Everton fans were left hugely deflated again on Sunday afternoon after they missed out on an opportunity to secure a trip to Wembley following a 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Crystal Palace.
The Blues started the game brightly, but it didn’t take long for the hosts to grow into the match, and once they did, the contest became very much a one-sided affair. Patrick Vieira's men looked more dangerous in attack, more robust in defence, and dominated in the middle too.
In the midfield, Everton lined up with a central duo of Andre Gomes and Abdoulaye Doucoure. The former was making just his third start under Lampard, benefiting from Allan’s suspension and Donny Van de Beek being cup-tied. But it was again a forgettable display from the former Portuguese international who looked too easy to overcome off the ball and largely ineffective with it.
