Charly Alcaraz came off the bench to fire Everton into the next round of the Carabao Cup with a late winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 1-0 victory at Goodison Park on Wednesday night was secured by the Argentine's 80th-minute strike, assisted by Tyler Dibling.
The result extends Everton's unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions, a sequence that has lifted them to ninth in the Premier League with six points. This recent form, which includes two wins and three draws, has been built on a solid defence that has conceded only 4 goals in that period. Manager David Moyes made several changes for the cup tie, handing a start to young forward Thierno Barry and deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Everton dominated possession from the outset, finishing the game with 62% of the ball and creating 16 attempts on goal. Jordan Pickford was rarely tested in the home goal, with Wolves managing only two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes. The first half was a cagey affair, with early yellow cards shown to Wolves' Jackson Tchatchoua and Everton's Jack Grealish inside the opening 11 minutes.
The game opened up after the break as both managers turned to their benches. Moyes introduced Brennan Johnson for Barry just before the hour mark, and later sent on Alcaraz and Tyrique George. The decisive moment arrived ten minutes from time when Dibling found Alcaraz, who finished clinically past João Virgínia. This key goal came in the 80th minute, a key moment in a match where clear chances were at a premium.
The focus now returns to the Premier League, with Ipswich Town visiting Goodison Park on Saturday. Ipswich sit one place below Everton in tenth, setting up a closely contested fixture as both teams look to improve their position in the standings.
Everton's defensive discipline was key to the cup win, limiting Wolves to few clear chances. The team will aim to carry that solidity into the weekend as they look to climb the table. With 6 points from their opening league games, the Toffees will be keen to add to their tally and continue their positive momentum. For a deeper look at the players contributing to this run, visit the club's squad page.
