Dismal afternoon as trophy drought drags on

Shoot-out defeat is painful as Dibling struggles but Armstrong return proves a wise move

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So, where do Everton go from here? A season that at one point promised so much has very quickly turned sour.

It was only at the start of last month that the Blues beat Nottingham Forest 3-0, and talk of Europe was on the lips of supporters. Fast forward to now, and it is a very different picture.

Those hopes of Europe appear slim after a number of disappointing Premier League results over Christmas.

The FA Cup was the only saving grace left in a stuttering campaign of transition. But hopes of two trips to Wembley before the end of the campaign are now over too.

The minute Jack Grealish followed Michael Keane down the Everton tunnel against Wolves on Wednesday night, you started to fear the worst about this game.

And when the teams were announced 60 minutes before kickoff, those fears increased with Tim Iroegbunam missing out as a precaution.

With just over 10 minutes on the clock, David Moyes stood on the touchline shaking his head in disbelief at what he was witnessing from his side.

The Blues, with the exception of the closing stages of the half, spent the opening 45 minutes pinned back in their own half.