Norwich City thumped second-tier Bournemouth 6-0 in the League Cup second round on Tuesday but some of their Premier League rivals lived dangerously before overcoming lowly opponents.
Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace were the sole Premier League casualties of the evening, losing 1-0 in their all top-flight clash at Watford after Ashley Fletcher fired in a right-footed shot four minutes from time.
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All the talk has been of Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta being the first Premier League manager to get the chop this season, but there Vieira is waiting in the wings waiting to take the unwanted title. Vieira and Crystal Palace are looking like a complete shambles.
Vieira’s winless start as Palace manager extended to three games as the Eagles suffered another defeat on Tuesday. Vieira replaced the popular Roy Hodgson as Palace boss in the close-season, but the former Arsenal and France star has yet to click as a coach.
Palace were beaten 3-0 at Chelsea in their Premier League opener before being held to a dour 0-0 draw by minnows Brentford on Saturday. No goals, no points and out of a tournament already, it won’t get any easier for Vieira and it looks like Arteta has company in the unwanted waiting room.
Rafa Benitez’s Everton were down to 10 men after 59 minutes at Championship side Huddersfield Town when forward Moise Kean was shown a straight red card with the score at 1-1 but Andros Townsend grabbed a 79th-minute winner for the visitors.
The goal was new signing Townsend’s first for the Toffees and came after a Tom Lees header on the stroke of halftime had cancelled out Alex Iwobi’s 26th minute opener for Everton.
Kean had the ball in the net but was ruled offside and then was sent off after an off-the-ball incident.
“We created chances and took control,” said Benitez. “They had more belief after they scored the goal. They were pushing after that and then the sending-off changed things.”
Brentford, flying high on their arrival in the Premier League, were a goal down at home to fourth-tier Forest Green Rovers but ran out 3-1 winners with three second-half strikes. Forest Green played with 10 men for the last 10 minutes after Ebou Adams was sent off.
“We made nine changes and changed the formation as well, maybe that didn’t help, maybe I didn’t help the boys as much as I should have done,” said Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
Norwich opened the floodgates in one of three earlier kick-offs, with US recruit Josh Sargent and Greek winger Christos Tzolis each scoring twice on their full debuts at Carrow Road.
The Canaries were 3-0 up by half-time with Bournemouth managing only one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes.
Aston Villa thrashed fourth-tier Barrow 6-0 away, with teenager Cameron Archer netting a hat-trick, while Leeds United left it late at Elland Road before putting three past League One side Crewe Alexandra in the last 11 minutes for a 3-0 win.
Wolverhampton Wanderers beat second-tier Nottingham Forest 4-0 on the road, their first win of the season, with all the goals coming after the break.
Brighton saw off Championship side Cardiff City 2-0 after Jakub Moder scored from outside the box in the ninth minute and Andi Zeqiri doubled the tally in the 55th.
Arsenal play at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday while Newcastle United host Burnley and Southampton visit Newport County. The third round draw follows those matches.
