Moyes bemoans Everton giving away two dreadful goals

08/02/2025 18:36

The Blues have been knocked out of the FA Cup by Bournemouth, their third defeat to the Cherries this season

A much-improved second half performance where Everton laid siege to the Bournemouth goal was not enough to make up for a positively dreadful first half when James Tarkowski and company in the backline gifted the visitors two goals in a 2-0 defeat. The loss sees the Blues exit the FA Cup at the Fourth Round stage for the second year running, and ensures there will be no more cup action in Goodison Park's final season.

Speaking after the game, manager David Moyes was not pleased by what his side did early in the game.

"Disappointing start to the game. We gave away two dreadful goals. I'm pleased with the way they responded in the second half. I'm pleased with the subs, they all had an impact.

"We hit the post three times, had one cleared off line. It just wasn't our day. We just needed one of the chances to go for us and it didn't."

Is it better to be out of the cup so that the threadbare squad could focus on the Premier League survival?

"Maybe. The most important thing for us is to make sure we're a Premier League club. It would have been nice to get to a cup final - it wasn't like we gave it up.

"Now our focus is totally back on the Premier League and trying to do what we need to do.

"Goodison is somewhere I've gotten very used to over the years. There will be people who know Goodison more than I'll ever know. A special stadium. On its day it can have an incredible atmosphere and be intimidating. We're hoping the new stadium will give us all that. But before we talk about the new stadium we have to make sure we're a Premier League club."