There were just 80 seconds on the clock when Richarlison crashed to the floor and Carlo Ancelotti turned away in exasperation.
Was this going to be another one of those nights? Everton’s manager has been frustrated by the way his leading striker has been treated recently, with a succession of teams subjecting him to persistent heavy challenges. Stopping Richarlison has meant stopping Everton.
Ancelotti’s irritation with Richarlison, though, has also been brought on in part by himself. His last two performances, against Wolves and Aston Villa, were so disappointing they earned a summons from the Italian that concluded with the words: you must do better.