Everton exited the FA Cup’s fourth round in a two-goal loss to Bournemouth.

David Moyes’ side fell behind midway through the first half after James Tarkowski fouled Antoine Semenyo, who dispatched from the penalty spot.

Daniel Jebbison doubled the Cherries’ advantage shortly before the interval by pouncing to rebound home from a blocked effort by Marcus Tavenier.

Saturday’s defeat means the Blues now enter a full 30 years without major silverware since winning the world’s most famous cup competition in 1995.

Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:

Moyes handed a reality check

This was not how Goodison’s final-ever FA Cup tie was supposed to play out.

Never again will the world’s most famous club cup competition grace this cosy corner of Liverpool 4 but defeat did still serve a potential purpose for Everton.

A second meeting with Bournemouth in five weeks provided a barometer of their progress since the second coming of David Moyes early last month.

The loss on the South Coast left the writing on the wall for the Scot’s predecessor Sean Dyche while this rematch delivered a brutal reality check.

Moyes was fully aware that his side’s hat-trick of victories earned in four games might not last forever, and another proved to be beyond them.

On the first half alone, perhaps it is just as well that form traditionally goes out the window in Merseyside derbies ahead of Wednesday’s 245th meeting.

The Blues’ fightback after the interval, however, offered grounds for optimism with the hosts belatedly taking the game to the Cherries in the final third.

It was a useful learning exercise for Moyes that his charges, while improving, still have plenty to work on before even thinking about resting on their laurels.

Duo makes case for derby starts

Next week’s final-ever Goodison derby will be one for big personalities, and Everton have clearly unearthed one in January signing Carlos Alcaraz.

Moyes handed the new recruit a second-half runout against Andoni Iraola’s side that lived up to Evertonians’ expectations with a strong performance.

He started brightly; winning a free kick from a driving run through the middle before rattling the frame of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s goal at the ensuing set piece.

The Argentine’s effort was one of three times Everton were denied by the woodwork during an onslaught that should have yielded a spirited comeback.

A starring role against Liverpool appears a no-brainer after helping transform a previously one-sided contest into a fairer fight at Goodison on Saturday..

Jack Harrison’s own cameo, in place of Jesper Lindstrom, has similarly put himself firmly in Moyes’ thoughts to take on the Premier League leaders.

The winger became a heavily maligned figure in the final weeks of Dyche’s dismal reign but is repaying his new manager’s trust with confident displays.

Given his role in last season’s win over the old enemy, it could be the ideal time for Harrison to be handed a rare start back in the royal blue shirt.

Sub sums up failed strategy

Not all of Everton’s substitutions offered vindication – some were damning.

For all the fanfare around Alcaraz’s debut after a shrewd addition, another introduction offered an indictment of the approach to player recruitment.

Despite losing both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Armando Broja in quick succession, no attacking reinforcements were forthcoming last month.

As a result of those thinning numbers, Moyes named Martin Sherif among three academy prospects in the matchday squad to take on Bournemouth.

The Netherlands youth international may have been hoping for a rare first-team involvement even with the tie continuing to seep away from them.

Instead, Moyes sent on Michael Keane to see out the final five minutes in a two-pronged attack along the club’s sole available senior frontman in Beto.

No one can blame the Everton manager in reaching for unorthodox solutions in efforts to improve the increasingly dire situation which he has inherited.

But it does beg the question about how a strategy overseen by director of football Kevin Thelwell failed so much that a centre-back became a panacea.