Everton 1-1 Southampton (5-6 on pens): Saints win nervy shootout to book Carabao Cup fourth round spot and heap more misery on Toffees at Goodison Park

Ashley Young missed in the penalty shoot-out as Everton crashed out of the Carabao Cup against their fellow Premier League strugglers.

Young saw his spot-kick saved by Alex McCarthy to cap a miserable evening for the 39-year-old whose arrival as a second-half substitute was greeted by boos from fans disappointed to see striker Beto removed.

The veteran was fortunate not to concede a penalty in the final minute when he challenged Tyler Dibling but his luck ran out when his spot-kick was struck at a comfortable height for the goalkeeper to save.

Earlier on, it had been a tale of two captains with Taylor Harwood-Bellis equalising for the visitors after Abdoulaye Doucoure had opened the scoring for Everton, who were beset by injuries and illness.

‘We had to piece a team together,’ said Dyche, who gave a first start for 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong. On the boos, he said: ‘He (Young) is a tough customer mentally. Youngy is old enough and wise enough to know how this industry is.’

Both sides score their opening five penalties on the night before Ashley Young was denied

Neither team had gained a league point this season and made 18 changes between them. It was Everton who started brighter despite Dwight McNeil playing left-back.

McCarthy saved from Beto but after 20 minutes he flapped at a McNeil corner with damaging consequences.

The ball broke for Michael Keane and he nodded into the box for Doucoure to meet with a glancing header.

Southampton enjoyed 75% possession, but Everton still had chances with Jesper Lindstrom twice denied by McCarthy when clean through.

The leveller arrived from a set-piece. Harwood-Bellis rose above McNeil to meet Charlie Taylor’s free-kick to head in his first goal since December.

Goodison Park aired its displeasure when Dyche withdrew his centre-forward for Young, though it allowed McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye to push forward.

Referee Darren Bond waved away strong Saints appeal for a 90th-minute penalty before they got the job done in the shoot-out.

The night had started brightly for Everton when Abdoulaye Doucoure’s header put them ahead

Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ header shortly after the half hour mark got Southampton on level terms 

Everton fans will hope reports that Roma owner Dan Friedkin may still want to buy the club are true. Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has also declared a firm interest.

Winning boss Russell Martin said: ‘I am really proud of the players. We had a tough moment conceding and responded brilliantly. I am excited by what the group is capable of.’

Everton hope James Garner, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Vitaliy Mykolenko cover from a bug in time for Saturday’s crunch Premier League game at Leicester.