Everton boss Sean Dyche defended his team selection for their FA Cup defeat at home to Luton.

Dyche handed a chance to his fringe players for the 2-1 loss.

He said: “People know we are stretched, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out that.

“On the other hand, I want these players to grip their chance, and say, 'That's it, I am playing and I am ready'. We have done that many times this season, with people coming off the bench and affecting it.

“Today was a maybe, maybe they might grip it, maybe they might affect it. I think the expectation here today got to us a little bit in the first half – not so much in the second half. I said to the players: 'That's what we've got to grow with, this is Everton Football Club'.

“We've all got to grow with expectation as it rises and there's clearly a different expectation. The last game against Palace; this game – the mood of the crowd was completely different, so we've got to give that crowd that expectation, and deliver."