Everton have secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup courtesy of a 3-0 victory over fellow Premier League side Burnley at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
James Tarkowski headed the Toffees ahead in the 13th minute before Amadou Onana doubled the home side's advantage with a close-range finish early in the second period.
Ashley Young then scored a third for the Merseyside outfit in second-half stoppage time to cap a strong performance from the in-form side.
Everton have now been victorious in five of their last seven matches in all competitions, with the team firmly finding their feet under Sean Dyche after a tough start to the campaign.
Everton started well, and the breakthrough came in the 13th minute, with Tarkowski rising highest inside the Burnley box to head a brilliant Dwight McNeil cross into the back of the net.
McNeil continued to cause problems against his former club, firing over the crossbar in the 19th minute, and Burnley were struggling to get out, with the visitors playing on the counter-attack but seeing little of the ball.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was called into action in the 23rd minute to keep out Jacob Bruun Larsen after the Dane had attempted to lift the ball over England's number one.
Onana should have doubled the home side's advantage in the 30th minute when the ball fell kindly for him after a challenge between Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite and Burnley's Arijanet Muric, but the midfielder somehow missed the target with a half-volley.
© Reuters
Burnley had plenty of the ball in the first half, ending the opening 45 minutes with 61% possession, but Vincent Kompany's side found it difficult to make their mark in the final third of the field.
Everton again had the ball in the back of the net early in the second period through Dominic Calvert-Lewin, only for the offside flag to prevent the striker from making it 2-0.
The Toffees did manage to double their advantage in the 53rd minute, though, with Onana poking the ball into the back of the net from close range after smart work from Tarkowski and Calvert-Lewin.
Both managers made changes with 25 minutes left, but Burnley continued to find it difficult in the final third of the field, with Everton's defence standing strong at Goodison Park.
Beto fired over the target as Everton looked for a third late on, and it eventually came from Young in the 92nd minute, with the experienced defender turning a cross from Beto into the back of the net from close range.
Everton will be bidding to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they host Brighton & Hove Albion in the league on Saturday, while Burnley will return to action against Crystal Palace on the same afternoon.
Matt Law
