Lyon 3-0 Everton: Toffees exit Europa League with two games to spare

Everton were dumped out of the Europa League with two games to spare after slipping to a 3-0 defeat against Lyon.

Second half goals from former Chelsea striker Bertrand Traore (69), Houssem Aouar (76) and Memphis Depay (88) leaves the Toffees with just one point in Group E after four games and facing an impossible task to qualify.

Everton are the first English side to not win any of their first four games of a Europa League campaign.

Since taking over from Ronald Koeman, caretaker boss David Unsworth has failed to arrest their slide, losing all three of his games in charge, meaning Everton, who had Morgan Schneiderlin sent off late on, have won just once in their last 10 matches.

The contrast in form coming into the game was stark with Lyon winning four on the bounce and Everton losing their last four.

Confidence seemed high within the home ranks but they only managed to test Jordan Pickford with a Traore header on 34 minutes, which the goalkeeper palmed clear.

Cuco Martina had to be carried off in a neck brace just before the break after landing awkwardly on his back. The defender was attended to for almost seven minutes before being taken off on a stretcher.

Everton will have been delighted with their resolute first-half showing and came out buoyant after the break. Idrissa Gueye broke into the box on 47 minutes but his effort from 12 yards lacked conviction and was pushed clear by Anthony Lopes.

That missed chance was as good as it got for Unsworth's men as they fell behind on 69 minutes.

Schneiderlin's tackle in midfield saw the ball deflect fortuitously into the path of Traore, who moved past Pickford and rolled a cool finish into the net.

Everton's fate was sealed six minutes later when substitute Aouar was picked out by Depay and he stroked home.

Schneiderlin embodied Everton's frustration with nine minutes to go when he picked up a needless second booking for a wild hack on Maxwel Cornet. A dismal night for the travelling Toffees was compounded on 88 minutes when former Manchester United winger Depay headed home from a Jordan Ferri cross.

Opta stats

• Everton have now conceded in 15 of their last 16 games in all competitions, with the only clean sheet in this run coming against Sunderland in the League Cup (3-0).
• Schneiderlin is the only Premier League player to have been sent off more than once across all competitions in 2017/18 (also v Man City).
• Everton failed to register a shot on target in the first half, yet had their only one of the game within the opening minute of the second half.

What's next?

Everton are back in action at Goodison Park on Sunday against Watford as they look to arrest their worrying Premier League form. Their next Europa League encounter sees Atalanta visit Merseyside on November 23.

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