Everton suffered defeat in the Continental League Cup as they went down 4-2 away to Manchester United on Wednesday night. 

The hosts were fast out of the blocks and raced to a 3-0 lead inside 20 minutes with a brace from Vilde Boe Risa plus a strike from Rachel Williams in between.  

Everton looked to have forged a potential route back into the game when Jess Park reduced the deficit in the 25th minute. 

Jade Moore grabbed United’s fourth before the break which secured a commanding victory for the home side, despite a late stoppage time second for Brian Sorensen’s side scored by Karen Holmgaard. 

The game started in the worst possible way as the Blues failed to cut out a cross from the right allowing Boe Risa to rise highest and head the visitors in front inside a minute. 

Sorensen's side initially responded well and enjoyed good spell on the ball, but they struggled to convert that possession into any meaningful efforts on goal.  

It was instead the hosts who carried the biggest goal threat and soon doubled their advantage when the Everton defence failed to adequately clear another cross in the box which allowed Rachel Williams to latch onto a loose ball and poke her effort beyond Courtney Brosnan and into the roof of the net.  

It was a familiar story for United's third when again another cross proved Everton's undoing with Boe Risa grabbing a second from a scramble in the six-yard box.  

Park looked to breathe some life back into Everton five minutes later when she beat the offside trap to latch onto an excellent ball played over the United defence by Holmgaard before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.  

The Everton excitement was short-lived though when minutes later United defender Moore rather fortuitously saw the ball ricochet off her from a corner and roll over Brosnan's line to hand the hosts a fourth.  

There was an increased intensity to Everton's play in the second period as both Park and half-time substitute Nicoline Sorensen went close to pulling a goal back early in the half. 

First Park rifled a shot against the bar from inside the box before Sorensen tested the hands of Sophie Baggaley minutes after with a well-struck effort from distance that was tipped around the post.  

The Blues did eventually grab a second in stoppage time when Holmgaard tapped in a cross from two yards out.  

Everton return to action this Sunday when they travel to face Brighton (2pm GMT) in the Barclays Women's Super League.