SOUTHAMPTON piled more pressure on Sean Dyche as Everton blew another lead and were dumped out of the League Cup.
It took penalties to settle this one as veteran Ashley Young was the unfortunate victim in the shoot-out.
It had started fairly well for the Blues after their two recent two-goal collapses after Abdoulaye Doucoure took over the Everton captain’s armband.
He was spotted delivering a final pep-talk to the much-changed Blues XI in a pre-match huddle.
And it might just be a lucky omen as, after a turgid opening, it was the Mali midfielder who broke the deadlock.
It’s no wonder the usually raucous Goodison was struggling to get rocking after they arrived to see eight changes in the starting XI – including a first start for Harrison Armstrong, 17.
It took until just after the ten-minute mark for them to even make a murmur as Beto’s low near-post shot was pushed wide.
But finally, the home faithful did have something to shout when Doucoure headed home from a set-piece.
A corner was swung deep to the back post where Jake O’Brien flicked on for Michael Keane to find the 31-year-old to nod home.
England No.1 Jordan Pickford was one of those left out after it was reported how Dyche has been unhappy with his form.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
He was joined on the bench by fellow stopper Asmir Begovic, with Dyche claiming a sickness bug to three players had left him short on numbers, but neither were called upon even for the shootout.
That allowed Portuguese goalie Joao Virginia to make just his seventh start for the club, but the first thing he really had to do was pick the ball out of the net as Everton’s lead lasted all of 12 minutes.
Charlie Taylor, a former Dyche stalwart at Burnley, delivered an inch perfect set-piece towards Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ head.
And despite makeshift left-back Dwight McNeil trying to put the pressure on, he headed the ball into the ground and into the net to level.
Jesper Lindstrom had already wasted the first of his two big chances before that, firing straight at Alex McCarthy after being played in by Doucoure, when he did the same after the restart.
This time it was Beto’s flick that set him away on goal, but he was unable to beat the Saints ‘keeper again.
Finally, the game had come to life, and it was Virginia called into action next to deny Ryan Fraser’s bundled effort from close-range.
A loud ‘Dyche, sort it out’ was bellowed from behind the dug-out as the locals started to show their frustration.
But there were loud boos when the manager did take action as he opted to take off Beto as part of a double change that saw attacking midfielder Iliman Ndiaye shifted up top.
It failed to make the desired impact as it was a Saints sub, Ben Breton Diaz, who did well to hold off the midfielder only to fire straight at Virginia.
Then 18-year-old Tyler Dibling embarked on a dazzling run right at the death but blazed over, leaving it to be settled by spot-kicks.
Mateus Fernandes, Ross Stewart, Brereton-Diaz, Harwood-Bellis, Joe Aribo all converted for the visitors as Keane, McNeil, Ndiaye, Lindstrom and Jack Harrison matched them to send it to sudden death.
James Bree made it six for the Saints – and then Alex McCarthy saved from Young to win it.
