Barry’s Night at Deepdale: Everton Cruise Past Preston 4-0 in the Carabao Cup

Deepdale has seen its share of memorable nights, but few recent ones have felt quite as one-sided as this. On a mild late-August evening in 2026, Everton dismantled Preston North End 4-0 in the second round of the Carabao Cup. Thierno Barry scored a hat-trick and provided an assist, Brennan Johnson marked his first goal in Everton colours, and David Moyes’ side advanced with something approaching ease. The scoreline told the story. The performance, for large stretches, backed it up.

This was not a Premier League fixture, and both managers rotated, yet the gulf in class and current confidence was obvious. Preston, under Paul Heckingbottom and sitting in the Championship, were competitive in patches after the break and produced one genuine moment of quality. It was never enough. Everton controlled possession, created a procession of chances, and finished ruthlessly once the first goal went in.

Preview: Context, Form and the Return of Moyes

Going into the tie, the narratives were straightforward. Everton had opened their Premier League campaign with a solid 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace. Barry had scored in that match, ending a quiet personal spell and giving Moyes an early boost. The Scot had spoken about the importance of the cups and the need for his squad to stay sharp across competitions. A trip to Deepdale carried extra resonance for him. This was the club where he made his managerial name in the late 1990s and early 2000s before moving to Everton in 2002. Returning as the opposition manager always carries a certain weight, even in a midweek cup tie.

Preston’s season had been more mixed. Heckingbottom had made multiple changes from their recent Championship outing, handing a debut to goalkeeper Lee Nicholls and freshening the midfield and attack. The Lilywhites had shown flashes in the Championship but were still finding consistency. Cup nights against Premier League opposition can be free-hits or painful reminders of the levels still to climb. Deepdale’s tight pitch and vocal home support often make it awkward for bigger clubs, yet Everton arrived with a strong XI that mixed experience and fresh legs.

Jordan Pickford started in goal. The back line featured James Tarkowski and Michael Keane at centre-back, with Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left and Merlin Röhl on the right. In midfield, James Garner, Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall provided a blend of control and energy. Further forward, Tyler Dibling, Iliman Ndiaye and Barry formed a fluid front three. It was a side capable of dominating the ball and hurting teams in transition.

Preston lined up in a 4-2-3-1. Nicholls in goal, Pol Valentín, Jordan Storey, Lewis Gibson and Andrija Vukčević across the back. Jordan Thompson and Léo Leroy sat deeper, with Thierry Small, Andrew Moran and Delano Burgzorg supporting striker Jusef Erabi. The home side needed organisation, set-piece threat and moments of individual quality if they were to trouble their visitors. On paper the mismatch was clear. On the pitch it quickly became clearer still.

Attendance settled at 16,834, with a healthy contingent of Everton fans making the short trip. The weather was kind, the pitch looked decent, and the stage was set for a cup upset that never materialised.

Analysis: Control, Clinical Edge and a Striker Finding His Rhythm

From the opening minutes Everton dictated the tempo. They moved the ball with purpose, forced Preston into defensive shapes, and created early corners and half-chances. Ndiaye looked sharp, Dibling lively on the opposite side, and Dewsbury-Hall drifted into dangerous pockets. Preston’s defensive line was stretched repeatedly. Storey made an important early intervention to deny Barry, but the pressure was constant.

The first goal arrived in the 25th minute and it was a well-worked team move rather than a moment of individual brilliance. Dewsbury-Hall delivered a superb angled pass that released Mykolenko down the left. The Ukrainian full-back squared low and Barry, arriving at the right time, finished from close range. It was the kind of poacher’s finish that centre-forwards live for. Barry’s movement had already looked sharper than at times last season. Confidence is a powerful thing in football, and you could see it in the way he held the ball up and linked play thereafter.

Preston did not fold immediately. They competed in the middle of the park and tried to play forward when they won possession. Burgzorg showed willingness on the left and Thompson produced the odd progressive pass. Yet clear-cut chances were scarce. Everton’s midfield screened effectively and the back four rarely looked troubled. Pickford had little to do before the interval.

The second half began with Preston showing more aggression. They pressed higher and forced Everton to play with greater care. For a brief period the home crowd found its voice. Then the clinical edge returned. In the 59th minute Dewsbury-Hall cut inside and struck a fierce shot that Nicholls could only push into the path of the onrushing Barry. The striker reacted first and poked the ball home for 2-0. It was another simple finish, the sort that comes when a forward is in the right place and the opposition goalkeeper is under pressure.

At that point the game was effectively over as a contest, but Everton kept pushing. Substitute Callum Lang, introduced by Heckingbottom, produced the highlight of Preston’s night with a spectacular overhead kick that forced Pickford into a sharp save. It was a moment of genuine quality and a reminder that Championship sides can still produce moments of magic. It also proved a false dawn.

Barry completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute. A quick transition, involving good work from the newly introduced Brennan Johnson, ended with a low cross that Barry turned in at the far post. Three goals, match ball secured, and the travelling support in full voice. Two minutes later the same combination worked in reverse. Barry’s clever pass released Johnson, who finished calmly for his first Everton goal since arriving from Crystal Palace. 4-0. Game over.

The statistics underlined the dominance. Everton enjoyed around 65-68% possession, registered close to 30 shots to Preston’s five, and created multiple big chances. Pass accuracy was high. Preston managed only one shot on target and spent long periods defending deep. The xG gap was significant. This was not a smash-and-grab; it was a controlled, professional away performance against lower-division opposition.

What stood out most was Barry’s all-round contribution. Beyond the goals he linked play, held the ball under pressure and showed improved decision-making. After a difficult debut season in England he looks more settled. Moyes has spoken about the need for centre-forwards to score goals. Barry is answering that call early in the campaign. Johnson’s impact off the bench was also encouraging. Pace, directness and a clinical finish on his first significant contribution. The squad depth looks healthier than it has at times in recent seasons.

For Preston the night was a learning experience. They competed for spells, especially after the break, but the quality gap was obvious when Everton moved through the gears. Nicholls made a number of saves and the defence threw bodies in the way, yet once the first goal went in the task became extremely difficult. Heckingbottom will take the positives from the second-half energy and Lang’s moment of brilliance, then turn attention back to the Championship grind.

Moyes, for his part, will be satisfied. A strong side progressed without drama, key players got minutes, and the attacking players delivered. Returning to Deepdale with a 4-0 win is a nice footnote in his personal history with the club.

Top Highlights

The night belonged to Thierno Barry, but several moments stood out.

First, the opening goal. Dewsbury-Hall’s vision to find Mykolenko and the full-back’s unselfish square pass created the simplest of finishes for Barry. It set the tone for a clinical evening.

Second, the 59th-minute second goal. Dewsbury-Hall’s powerful drive, Nicholls’ parry, and Barry’s instinctive reaction. Classic centre-forward play. The sort of goal that kills any lingering home hope.

Third, Callum Lang’s overhead kick. In a match otherwise controlled by the visitors, this was the purest moment of individual quality from the home side. Pickford’s save kept the clean sheet intact, but the attempt itself was spectacular.

Fourth, the hat-trick goal. Johnson’s pace and delivery from the right, Barry arriving at the far post. Clinical, composed, and the moment the match ball was secured. Barry’s celebration, complete with a “Siuuu,” captured the mood among the Everton players and fans.

Fifth, Johnson’s first Everton goal. Barry turning provider with a defence-splitting pass, Johnson finishing low and true. Two players combining effectively within minutes of each other. A nice subplot on a night of dominant football.

Other notes: Mykolenko’s assist and general solidity on the left; Ndiaye’s constant threat between the lines; the way Everton’s midfield recycled possession and limited Preston’s transitions. On the home side, Storey’s early defensive intervention and Nicholls’ saves prevented an even heavier defeat.

Summary

Everton are through to the third round of the Carabao Cup after a comprehensive 4-0 victory at Deepdale. Thierno Barry scored three times and assisted the fourth, Brennan Johnson opened his account for the club, and David Moyes’ side controlled the match from early on. Preston competed in patches and produced one outstanding moment through Callum Lang, but they were ultimately outclassed.

The result extends Everton’s positive start to the season and gives Barry further momentum. For Preston it is back to the Championship, where the weekly demands are different but the need for consistency remains the same. Moyes returns to Goodison (or the new stadium era, depending on the calendar) with a comfortable win and useful minutes for several players. Barry leaves with the match ball and growing confidence.

It was not a classic cup thriller filled with twists. It was a professional, clinical away performance by a Premier League side against Championship opposition. On the night, that was more than enough. Barry’s finishing made it look routine. The underlying control suggested Everton are building something more solid than last season’s struggles. For Preston, nights like this are painful but useful measuring sticks. The gap remains. Closing it is the long-term job.

In the end the scoreboard read Preston North End 0, Everton 4. Barry 25, 59, 70. Johnson 72. A clear result on a clear night in Lancashire.