Everton needed extra time to edge past Rotherham in the FA Cup third round.
Cenk Tosun opened the scoring early on with a dinked effort over the advancing Jamal Blackman after Anthony Gordon’s excellent through ball.
But Matt Olosunde drew the Championship outfit level just 10 minutes into the second half by hooking the ball past Robin Olsen from close range.
Tosun thought he had snatched victory for the Blues when meeting a James Rodriguez free kick before the intervention of VAR chalked off his late strike.
As the tie went into extra time, Carlo Ancelotti’s side finally retook the lead as Rodriguez expertly teed up substitute Abdoulaye Doucoure for a slotted finish.
Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:
Blues need more life than limp
A safe passage into the FA Cup’s fourth round should have been a formality for Everton against a Rotherham team ranked 23rd in England’s second tier.
But as last season showed, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are masters of turning the simple into a struggle and did so again with the lowly Championship outfit.
Humiliation by Liverpool’s kids 12 months ago seemed to be as bad as it could get for the Blues with a display devoid of any fight, on the pitch at least.
This, however, was a tie completely free of mitigation or stigma – and still, they made hard work of it until Abdoulaye Doucoure’s match-winning strike.
Evertonians dreamed of Rotherham’s visit being their first step ‘on the march’ to Wembley with Ancelotti’s players making tangible progress this season.
If their team is serious about stepping out beneath the famous arch, the performances from the next round onwards need to be more life than limp.
Digne back but not on song
Everton history came full circle for Lucas Digne on his remarkable return.
A starring role at Goodison against the same opposition that he made his first start for the club, less than two-and-a-half years ago, felt somewhat poetic.
The left-back demonstrated flashes of his ability but the second half showed how much a near-two months on the sidelines have clearly taken their toll.
Matt Olosunde netted the Millers’ equaliser after ghosting past Digne several times – and not just because he had taken to the field without a shirt number.
Ancelotti chose to stem the tide on 66 minutes, when the France international made way for Yerry Mina in hopes of a stronger core in his central defence.
Coming back from an ankle injury after barely six weeks is an impressive feat. Digne will still need a few more matches to get back up to speed, though.
Midfield half measure backfires
Much as Ancelotti had been keen to throw Digne back into the spotlight, he was also eager to given several of Everton’s regular starters an overdue rest.
While he afforded the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison rare Saturday afternoons off duty, others were kept in reserve as a precaution.
Chief among them was Doucoure, who the Italian unleashed on the hour mark in efforts to provide much-needed presence in the middle of the park.
In lieu of the ex-Watford man and an injured Allan, Tom Davies and Andre Gomes offered a weak impression of what an Everton midfield should be.
The pair’s complacency in haring down possession allowed Rotherham to noticeably grow in confidence during the latter stages of the first half.
Sacrificing fire power is one thing, with Cenk Tosun just about filling the void of Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, but some areas cannot be gambled upon.
Rodriguez given license to thrill
Working out James Rodriguez’s best position has been one of the greatest conundrums for Everton’s season to date, with a debate raging for months.
Judging by the fruits of his labour against Rotherham, maybe the solution instead lies in letting the Colombian the freedom to play anywhere he sees fit.
Ancelotti afforded Rodriguez licence to roam from the outset and it almost paid off during those opening stages as he drew the visitors’ defence at will.
The visitors exacted revenge on the one-time Golden Boot winner with a clattering late in the second half which saw him bloodied yet unbowed.
He still managed to have the last laugh with a sumptuous through ball for Doucoure that ultimately tipped the balance in the 103rd minute of this tie.
Big players shine in big moments and while this isn’t the stage he is aiming for, Rodriguez still delivered a moment of pure Champions League quality.