Everton's hopes of qualifying for Europe hang by a thread after 17-year-old Daniel Jebbison sealed Sheffield United's 1-0 win at Goodison Park with his first Premier League goal on his first top-flight start
The Canadian-born forward became the competition's youngest goalscorer on their full debut, and it is doubtful whether he will find the net with an easier chance against a static home defence
Earlier this season, Jebbison was on loan at Vanarama National League North side Chorley and only got his first taste of first-team football with the Blades as a 65th-minute substitute last weekend
But his goal and an inspired performance from goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale were enough to consign Carlo Ancelotti's side to a ninth home defeat, equalling their worst record from 1950-51 and 1993-94, with one match still to come at Goodison against Wolves on Wednesday
Defeat almost certainly ended their chances of European football as they remain eighth, three points behind Tottenham and West Ham with a vastly-inferior goal difference
At 17 years and 309 days, Jebbison become the youngest player to make his first Premier League start since Mason Greenwood in May 2019
It took the youngster just seven minutes to make an instant impact as he ghosted in behind Ben Godfrey to turn Jack Robinson's cross into the unguarded Everton net
Sheffield United's positive start and lead was nearly erased within four minutes when Allan curled a shot through bodies towards the far corner, but the unsighted Ramsdale produced an excellent save to preserve the Blades' lead
Everton could have been two down before the half-hour mark when Mason Holgate's defensive lapse gifted Jebbison a gilt-edged opportunity to double his and Sheffield United's tally, but Jordan Pickford stayed big and tall to thwart the youngster's attempted lob
Everton steadily increased the pressure on the visitors' goal as half-time approached but found Ramsdale in inspired form
After Chris Basham had deflected a James Rodriguez effort over the bar, Ramsdale brilliantly kept out a Richarlison header before preventing Dominic Calvert-Lewin from converting the rebound at point-blank range with a stunning double save
In between those two attempts, Seamus Coleman felt he should have had a penalty when his attempted flick hit Robinson's hand
Everton's record the previous 32 times - dating back to 2015 - they were losing 1-0 at half-time has seen 25 defeats and no victories and even a change of personnel and formation, forward Gylfi Sigurdsson replacing Holgate, one of the three central defenders, made little difference
United's David McGoldrick had the best chance of the half as the hosts continued to look devoid of ideas and drive
Goodison hosts its final match of the season in three days and, despite the long wait to see live football again, on the evidence of this performance it could be an awkward evening in front of the 6,500 supporters who won tickets in a ballot
"It's really difficult
 I have to take the responsibility for this of course but I hope the players also take responsibility for this
 I am really embarrassed
 Fortunately we have supporters at home for the next game and I hope they wake us up because I think we need to wake up at home
"It is really difficult to explain what is going on here at home
 We have two games until the end, I think we lost a great opportunity
"Our chances now are less than before but the only way is to wait to try to get a result with the two games we have to play and see which position we are at the end
""Fantastic moment [for Jebbison]
 It couldn't have worked out better for him on his first start in the Premier League
 He deserved his start
 He's a hard-working lad and we know him through how well he has developed at the academy
 The fact I know how hard he works for the team changed my mind to pick him
"Aaron Ramsdale made six saves for Sheffield United, the most he has ever made in a Premier League game in which he did not concede a goal, while six saves is the most he has made in any league division while also keeping a clean sheet since March 2019 for AFC Wimbledon against Peterborough in League One (seven)
Everton host Wolves on Wednesday at 6pm - live on  - before travelling to champions Manchester City on the final day of the season
Sheffield United travel to Newcastle on Wednesday at 6pm - live on Sky Sports Arena & Sky Sports Mix - before hosting Burnley on the final day of the season
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