Thierno Barry scored three goals and set up the other as Everton sauntered into the third round of the Carabao Cup by way of a 4-0 win over Preston at Deepdale. The French striker scored eight goals in 41 games in 2025/26 and, after his first of the season in Saturday's Premier League win over Crystal Palace, is now already halfway to matching that total despite having played 38 games fewer.

The Toffees - who have not progressed past the third round since 2023/24 - have been drawn to face Wolves in the next round. A strong Everton team were in control from the off. They dominated the ball and chances came thick and fast against a Preston side who've lost two from two in the Sky Bet Championship but, for the most part, those openings were of low quality.

The 10th attempt was a successful one. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's floated ball released Vitalii Mykolenko on the left, who laid the ball on a plate for Barry to sweep in a tidy finish. There was a feeling the floodgates might open after that, but they didn't, so when the second half began, Preston had the bit between their teeth, which the crowd sensed.

However, Barry's second just before the hour made the comeback less likely, and his simple finish to complete his hat-trick essentially secured Everton's progression with 20 minutes to play. There was time for Brennan Johnson to add shine to the result, with the Welshman - who joined from Crystal Palace earlier this month - netting his first goal since November 2025 to make it 4-0.