Ashley Young says he is “gutted” after being denied the chance to face his son Tyler in the FA Cup clash between Peterborough and Everton.

Thursday night’s third round tie that saw the League One side host Premier League opponents at the Weston Homes Stadium was most notable for the prospect of father potentially lining up against son in a historic 154-year first for the world’s oldest football competition.

Both Everton veteran Ashley, 39, and teenage son Tyler, 18, were named as substitutes for the game, with interim Toffees boss Leighton Baines - supported by club captain Seamus Coleman in the dugout after former manager Sean Dyche was sacked just hours before kick-off - sending on the former with 17 minutes to go and his side leading 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from striker Beto.

However, the moment that so many had been waiting to see never happened, with Peterborough boss Ferguson deciding not to call for midfielder Tyler - whose only previous senior appearance for the club this season came off the bench against Stevenage in the EFL Trophy back in October - despite using all five of his allotted substitutions on the night.

Such a decision has led to criticism of Ferguson - son of legendary former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson - who explained afterwards that he needed to prioritise the introduction of forwards as his side chased the game at 1-0 before their defeat was eventually sealed by Iliman Ndiaye’s late stoppage-time penalty, insisting Peterborough were not a “charity case”.

Not bringing on Tyler obviously angered Everton’s players, with Ferguson claiming that one “had a pop” at him after the full-time whistle.

"It was very difficult to leave Tyler on the bench, but I've got to do what I think is best for the team,” said Ferguson.

"As much as I wanted Tyler to get on, if the game had been 2-0 at that point I would've put him on, but at 1-0, I had to get a forward on.

"One of their players had a pop at me, which was bang out of order. We are not a charity case."

Ashley took to social media on Friday morning and appeared to vent his own frustration at being denied what he had described before the game as the “greatest moment” of a long career that has brought 39 senior England caps and winners medals with Manchester United in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League plus a Serie A title at Inter Milan and top-flight promotion with Watford.

“GUTTED,” Ashley wrote in all caps on his X account.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, Ashley had said: “I think Tyler would say it's old v young. It's really special for me. I've been saying for years that if there was any way we could play against each other or with each other, out of my whole career, it would be the pinnacle.

“The career I've had, the trophies that I've won, to hopefully get the chance to play against my son just eclipses all of that.”