Everton praised permanent manager Leighton Baines after scoring a 2-0 FA Cup win against Peterborough, hours after Sean Dyche was sacked.
Former full-back Baines, who was in charge of Everton’s under-18s, and team captain Seamus Coleman were announced as caretaker managers just three hours before the third-round tie at Goodison Park.
Goals from Beto and Iliman Ndiaye saw the Premier League side to safety and Baines said: “I thought their execution was excellent.
“Losing coaches and trainers is not what anyone wants, that usually means something has gone wrong, and it’s never about one person, it’s about a lot of people involved.
Two Everton greats step up under the lights at Goodison Park. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/x1NySCxM7a
— Everton (@Everton) January 9, 2025
“A manager losing his job is not good and it usually follows a difficult period, not just a difficult day, and that’s what it was.
“But I think that within all of this there should definitely be hope and optimism. It’s something we’ve talked about. Things change, the football club, the ownership, the stadium.
“The manager had to go and that’s not what anyone wants. But a new coach will come and that brings opportunities.”
Baines, who stressed he was not considering putting himself forward for the permanent job and did not know if he would still be in the interim role next Wednesday, also spoke about Armando Brocha after the striker was stretchered off late on. .
He said: “It looked bad. We don’t know the extent of it, other than a lower leg injury, but he hasn’t been taken to hospital, so I took that as a good sign.”
Ashley Young came on for Everton in the 73rd minute, but the introduction of son Tyler Young from the Peterborough bench did not materialise.
And Posh boss Darren Ferguson said: “If the game was 2-0 at that point I’d put him on but it’s 1-0 I’ve got to go ahead.
“We’re not a charity, as much as I wanted Tyler to get along with his dad.
“One of their (Everton) players had a bit of a dig at me, which is wrong. I have to do the best for our team and at this point, 1-0, I’m trying to get a result.”
