Baines praises the players after a ‘tough day’ which ended in an FA Cup win

Everton received praise from assistant manager Leighton Baines after they recorded a 2-0 FA Cup win against Peterborough just hours after Sean Dyche was sacked.

Former full-back Baines, who was in charge of Everton’s under-18s, and club captain Seamus Coleman were named 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 safely through and Baines said: “I thought their application was brilliant.

“Losing a manager and a coach is not what anyone would want, it usually means that something didn’t go right, and it’s never on one person, but on a lot of people involved in it.

Two Everton greats perform 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 it was like that.

“But I think that there must definitely be hope and optimism in all of this now. That’s something we talked about. Things change, the football club, the ownership, the stadium.

“The manager had to leave, and that’s not what anyone wants. But a new manager will come and that brings an opportunity.”

Baines, who stressed he was not considering a bid for the permanent job and did not know if he would still be in the interim role next Wednesday, also spoke to Armando Broja after the striker left on a stretcher late on.

He said: “It looked bad. We don’t know the extent, other than the shin injury, but he wasn’t taken to the hospital, so I took that as a good sign.”

Ashley Young entered for Everton in the 73rd minute, but the introduction of his son Tyler Young from the Peterborough bench was not realized.

And Posh boss Darren Ferguson said: “If it had been 2-0 at that point I would have put it on but now it’s 1-0 I have to go forward.

“We’re not a charity case, as much as I wanted Tyler to make up with his dad.

“One of their (Everton’s) players hit me a bit, which is a bang out of line. I have to do what’s best for our team and at that moment, 1-0, I’m trying to score.”