If Everton are to win the FA Cup this season, they will
have to do it the hard way. Having already overcome Aston Villa and
Liverpool in this season’s competition, the Merseyside club’s
reward for beating Middlesbrough at Goodison Park in their
quarter-final yesterday was a pairing with Manchester United at
Wembley in the last four.
Chelsea will face either Arsenal or Hull City in the other
semi-final after Arsène Wenger’s team progressed to the last eight
yesterday with an impressive 3-0 win at home to Burnley in their
delayed fifth-round tie. Hull will travel to the Emirates Stadium a
week tomorrow for their delayed sixth-round tie, while the two
semi-finals will be played on the weekend of April 18 and 19.
Inspired by a half-time rollicking from David Moyes, the
manager, and Steve Round, his assistant, Everton came from behind
to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 and reach the last four for the first
time since 1995, when they beat United 1-0 in the final. Moyes
would have hoped to avoid Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, who are on
course for an unprecedented quadruple, but he may be comforted by
the knowledge that on the five previous occasions Everton have won
the FA Cup - in 1906, 1933, 1966, 1984 and 1995 - the West Indies
cricket team have toured England. West Indies are due to play two
Test matches in May.
Phil Neville, the Everton captain, believes that the club can go
all the way and win the competition, despite being drawn against
his former club. “From the moment we drew Liverpool and beat them
[in a replay], the fans were saying that it’s going to be our
year,” Neville said. “We have one step to go. We want to bring
silverware to this club because it has been too long, and now is
the time to step up and be men.”
