Everton celebrated victory in the FA Cup, managing to score late in the first half. However, the fact that their opponent, third-tier Peterborough, who is fighting to avoid relegation from League One, remained competitive until the very end speaks volumes about the state of the Toffees. Following the dismissal of Sean Dyche, the team was led by captain Seamus Coleman and youth team coach Leighton Baines, both club legends, who were met with the loudest applause from the fans. The game at Goodison Park was ultimately decided by a late penalty from Cheick N’Diaye. Before that, powerful striker Beto opened the scoring with his first goal in nearly two months, paving the way for progression to the next round.Do not rate Peterborough’s manager one bit for not bringing on Ashley Young’s son for not even 1 minute. 💔 pic.twitter.com/Mu1KlC9t6a— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) January 9, 2025 But the biggest story of the game was Ashley Young being denied to make history. Famous England player who used to play in Manchester United (among other clubs) expected to get on the field with his young son Tyler, who plays for Peterborough and make history. But the guests‘ coach Darren Ferguson didn‘t bring in the youngster, prompting some anger among the home crowd and players too.“It was very difficult to leave Tyler on the bench but I’ve got to do what I think is best for the team. As much as I wanted Tyler to get on, if the game had been 2-0 at that point I would’ve put him on, but at 1-0, I had to get a forward on. I’ve got to try and get something out of the game and do what is best for my team. One of their players had a pop at me which was bang out of order. We are not a charity case“ Ferguson, son of iconic United boss Sir Alex, said.Cool. Calm. Collected.Beto rounds the keeper to open the scoring for @Everton 🔵#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/Wlte7djS6e— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 9, 2025 Fulham continues their fine form in the Premier League, remaining unbeaten for over a month, and has now taken a step forward in the FA Cup. Despite manager Marco Silva making some changes to the lineup to rest players who have carried the bulk of the workload this season, Watford failed to pose a threat to the Cottagers, losing 4–1. Notably, the highlight of the match was a stunning goal by 19-year-old Roko Vata in the 33rd minute, which brought the visitors back to level terms. However, it was only a consolation in an honorable defeat, marking their exit from the world’s oldest football competition. Fulham’s goals came from Rodrigo Muniz in the 26th minute, Raúl Jiménez in the 50th (via a penalty), Joachim Andersen in the 65th, and Timothy Castagne in the 85th. The hosts took a staggering 26 shots on goal and, aside from the four goals scored, had five additional clear chances. Meanwhile, Watford failed to create even a single meaningful opportunity, a fact that perhaps best illustrates the state of play on the field.##NAJAVA_MECA_8624905##
