Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is planning an immediate inquest into his side’s embarrassing FA Cup defeat against Liverpool’s youngsters.
Ancelotti’s team on Sunday wasted a golden opportunity to win at Anfield for the first time since 1999 as 18-year-old Curtis Jones fired Liverpool to a 1-0 win in the third round of the competition.
Liverpool-born Jones, 18, is a graduate of Liverpool’s youth academy and he was joined by four other rookies in Juergen Klopp’s lineup.
Photo: Reuters
Klopp made nine changes, fielding a starting lineup that cost ￡43.9 million (US$57.8 million), while Everton’s team cost in the region of ￡222 million.
Ancelotti had sent out a virtually full-strength team, but they wasted a host of chances in the first half before surrendering limply after the break.
Everton are without a win against Liverpool since 2010, making it a bitter first taste of the Merseyside derby for former SSC Napoli coach Ancelotti, who was ready to discuss the tame display with his players.
“I am not used to speaking to the players after the game, but I am going to speak to them about this,” Ancelotti said. “I think in the second half we were not able to keep the right ideas on the pitch as we did in the first half, when we had the opportunity to score. The fact we didn’t score in the first half affected the performance in the second half, which was not good enough.”
It was suggested to Ancelotti that Everton had a mental block when it came to games at Anfield, but he said it was a matter of losing intensity in the second half.
“The lineup of Liverpool didn’t affect our idea. It was to play a good game. We knew Liverpool would put fresh players in and the intensity could be high,” Ancelotti said. “The defeat arrived because we were not able to keep a high intensity in the second. We lost energy and confidence.”
After a performance that former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher described as the worst derby display at Anfield in 35 years, the difficult situation Ancelotti has inherited was laid bare.
“We are going to speak all together and find a solution to try to improve the team,” Ancelotti said of potential moves in this month’s transfer window.
Meanwhile, Klopp was delighted that his decision to rest the majority of his injury-hit squad paid rich dividends.
The runaway English Premier League leaders also look well set for the future judging by the youngsters’ vibrant effort.
Klopp said: “I saw a sensationally good performance from a not-very-experienced team.”
“A lot players for the first time playing on this stage in front of this crowd and this type of opponent. It was outstanding. I loved each second of the game,” he said.
He also took a swipe at pundits who said that his selection disrespected the FA Cup.
“We never take the Cup for granted,” he said. “I would love to see a few people and ask them what they thought about the lineup, and all these bad things about me, and the FA Cup and no respect.”
Elsewhere, there were also victories for Premier League sides Chelsea, Sheffield United and West Ham United, while second-tier Middlesbrough held Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 and Crystal Palace fell to a 1-0 defeat to second-tier Derby County.
Also advancing were West Bromwich Albion, Barnsley, Queens Park Rangers and Northampton Town, while Bristol Rovers drew 2-2 with former winners Coventry City.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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