Carlo Ancelotti insists Everton can have “no regrets” after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester United on Wednesday.

The quarter-final tie at Goodson Park was deadlocked until the 88th minute when Edinson Cavani created space to power home a low drive from 20 yards.

Substitute Anthony Martial scored the away team’s second goal on the breakaway in the final minute of stoppage time.

The result curbs Everton’s three-game winning run – but Ancelotti found little fault in a performance designed to stifle Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.

Everton, who beat Chelsea, Leicester City and Arsenal in successive Premier League games prior to this tie, will aim to improve on their fifth position when they visit Sheffield United on Boxing Day.

"We are disappointed, of course, it was an important competition for us,” said manager Ancelotti.

“But there are no regrets with the performance.

“It was a good performance, we defended well, properly.

“We had a difficult start but after 20 minutes the game was under control.

“We didn’t play attacking football but we needed to defend and until the last three minutes we defended well.

"We were good defensively until the end and were close to penalties.

“They had more control and quality, we know this.

“The plan was to defend well and we did, we had some opportunities with set-pieces and counter-attacks.

“That was the game we planned.”

Everton came closest to scoring when goalkeeper Dean Henderson produced a full-length dive to tip behind a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick eight minutes before half-time.

The home team withstood an initial wave of pressure – Robin Olsen denying Cavani and Donny van de Beek seeing a shot blocked by Seamus Coleman – and were competing on equal terms following the break.

Everton were hit by the loss of Richarlison, however, the Brazilian sustaining a head injury in a collision with Eric Bailly and replaced by compatriot Bernard on 56 minutes.

United brought on the forward pair of Martial and Marcus Rashford and the two would combine for their team's second goal.

It was Cavani, however, the Uruguayan striker, who unloaded the decisive strike after collecting a pass from Martial.

“We cannot say that goal was a counter-attack, it is true we left the position in midfield for Martial to receive the ball and after that there was the quality of Cavani, the control, and he scored a fantastic goal," added Ancelotti.

“The team performed, they sacrificed and worked hard, with a good spirit, we lost and we look for the next game.

“We planned the game to defend and to try to use our qualities on the counter attack. We missed some passes but we were close.

“Richarlison is fine now. We are going to check him in the next few days and see what is going on.

"But he was okay after the game. Our doctor had total control of the situation and wanted to take him off.

"I totally agreed because it was right for the welfare of the player.”