Preston North End 0–4 Everton | Carabao Cup | 25 August 2026

Result Summary

Everton delivered a commanding Carabao Cup performance at Deepdale, dismantling Preston North End 4–0 in a tie that was never truly in doubt after the first goal arrived. Thiemo Barry was the undisputed star of the evening, completing a clinical hat-trick before being withdrawn, while substitute Brennan Johnson added a fourth to cap a thoroughly professional away display under David Moyes.

Match Analysis

The statistics tell the story of a match played almost entirely on Everton's terms. The visitors dominated possession at 68% to Preston's 32%, completed passes at a success rate of 93% compared to Preston's 74%, and amassed a staggering 29 total shots against the hosts' five. With 10 shots on target to Preston's solitary one, Lee Nicholls was under near-constant pressure, while Jordan Pickford was little more than a spectator at the other end.

Everton opened the scoring in the 25th minute, when Thiemo Barry converted from the right, assisted by Vitaliy Mykolenko down the left flank — a sign of the attacking intent the visitors brought from the outset. Preston's Paul Heckingbottom responded with a bold quadruple substitution on the hour mark, introducing Harrison Clarke, Alfie Devine, Callum Lang, and Alistair McCann simultaneously in an attempt to reset the game and inject energy.

The gamble failed immediately. Barry struck again in the 59th minute, a second right-foot finish to double the lead, and the tie was effectively buried. David Moyes then introduced Brennan Johnson and Nathan Patterson in the 64th minute, and the fresh legs only accelerated Everton's dominance. Barry completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute, assisted by Johnson, before the winger repaid the favour just two minutes later — Johnson himself getting on the scoresheet in the 72nd minute, assisted by Barry, to make it 4–0.

Preston's attacking threat was minimal throughout. Their 68 attacks compared to Everton's 103, combined with just four key passes against Everton's 24, underlines how little they could offer going forward. The Championship side were simply outclassed at every level of the pitch against top-flight opposition.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for an Everton victory at 56% probability, with the final scoreline ultimately validating the directional call — though the margin of 4–0 far exceeded the predicted 1–2 scoreline. The relatively modest confidence rating of 49/100 reflected genuine uncertainty around cup football unpredictability, but Everton's performance left no room for doubt. The result lands as correct, with the Toffees proving decisively superior across every measurable metric.

Key Takeaways

• Thiemo Barry's hat-trick — all via right-foot finishes — marks him as one of the most dangerous forwards in Everton's squad this season and a player to watch closely.
• Brennan Johnson made an immediate impact off the bench, contributing an assist and a goal within eight minutes of entering the pitch.
• Preston's mass substitution at the hour mark failed to change the game's dynamics, with Everton's second and third goals arriving either side of those changes.
• Everton's passing accuracy of 93% and 24 key passes point to a team that is well-drilled and cohesive under Moyes — a positive sign for their broader campaign.
• For Preston, this is a difficult night to process, but cup exits to Premier League sides are not uncommon for Championship clubs, and Heckingbottom will be keen to refocus domestic energies quickly.