London: Everton had to settle for a goalless draw in their FA Cup third-round tie at Crystal Palace after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was controversially sent off following a VAR review.
Calvert-Lewin was shown a straight red card in the 79th minute after on-field referee Chris Kavanagh had been advised to review the incident on a pitchside monitor after an intervention from Video Assistant Referee Michael Salisbury.
The England forward had his studs up as he slid in to win the ball in a challenge on Nathaniel Clyne and clipped the defender’s shin, although contact was minimal, Premier League reports.
Both teams were frustrated in a first half that produced plenty of effort, but not much finesse in the final third.
Arnaut Danjuma’s 18th-minute shot deflected off Chris Richards and flew into the side-netting and Calvert-Lewin headed wide under pressure from Marc Guehi with Everton’s best opportunities of the opening 45 minutes.
At the other end Eberechi Eze teed up Jefferson Lerma, who fired narrowly over, while a superb sliding tackle by Seamus Coleman on Jean-Phillipe Mateta just diverted the ball through to goalkeeper Virginia to avert the danger moments before the break.
Everton upped the tempo in the second half and looked the more likely to score as the tie wore on. Calvert-Lewin, without a goal in 12 matches, fired a tame shot straight at Dean Henderson, Amadou Onana headed over and Danjuma’s effort was comfortably held by the ‘keeper.
However, Everton were forced to play the final 11 minutes with 10 men after a pitchside review by referee Chris Kavanagh confirmed that Calvert-Lewin’s challenge had caught Clyne’s shin.
Dyche responded by bringing on Beto, and the substitute nearly produced the opening goal six minutes from time, finding James Garner in the box, but the Blues midfielder was leaning back and fired over from close range.
Everton were forced into another change with two minutes of normal time remaining when Dwight McNeil was stretched off after to colliding with team-mate Jarrad Branthwaite while defending a Palace corner.
There was still time for Lerma to lash an effort narrowly over and Virginia to push away an Eze effort at full stretch as Palace tried without success to make their numerical advantage count.
Everton are next in Premier League action on Sunday 14 January at home second-place Aston Villa, with Palace making the short trip to Arsenal the following Saturday.
The two teams will now be in the FA Cup fourth round draw prior to Manchester United’s tie at Wigan Athletic, while they will face each other in the third-round replay in midweek commencing 15 January.
–IANS