FA Cup 2018/19: Everton vs Lincoln City

Everton came into this FA Cup weekend on a dismal run of form, having won only one of their last eight games in the league. Lincoln City, on the other hand, were flying high, sitting on top of League Two. The stage was thus set for an FA Cup giant-killing act. However, despite a defiant display from the Imps, Evertons superior quality ultimately told as they won the game 2-1 to progress to the next round.

Lincoln City and the Cowley brothers have already won a lot of admirers through their continued push for promotion from League Two to follow up their elevation to the Football League last year. This performance established just why the duo are one of the hottest managerial properties in the Football League at the moment.

Line-ups

Lincolns stable defence

Games featuring sides with such a vast gulf in quality and resources usually have a set pattern. The bigger side dominates possession, while the smaller team looks to sit back and defend while looking to nick a goal through a set-piece or counter-attack. This FA Cup third-round tie was no different on the surface. Dig a little deeper though, and one can see the defensive fortitude of this Lincoln City side.

The Imps were tireless and organised, getting men behind the ball and frustrating their more illustrious opponents. They looked to minimize space in central areas and behind the defence and were happy to have Everton move the ball out wide, adept as they were at dealing with crosses. The images below will show just how intent the Imps were to not allow Everton to create anything centrally.

Lincoln played in a low block, getting men behind the ball quickly once they lost it and dropping their defensive line onto the edge of their penalty area.

Their obsession with being compact centrally did, however, lead to Evertons first goal. Leighton Baines had the freedom of Goodison Park to swing in a cross for Ademola Lookman.