It may’ve been a long time coming, but when Everton overcame Oldham Athletic at the second time of asking, it was somewhat of an inevitability that the Premier League side were overcome their League 1 counterparts, even if the Toffees were taken to a replay.
The 3-1 win at Goodison Park on Tuesday night ensured that Wigan Athletic would be the next team Everton would take on in the sixth round draw of the FA Cup and having defeated the Latics at the last two times of asking in Merseyside, David Moyes will be confident his players can again brush aside the threat of their top flight rivals.
Yet, could this year be the one Everton win the competition? Last season saw the Toffees slip to a defeat at the hands of Liverpool in the semi final, while succumbing to defeat at the hands of Chelsea back in 2009.
However, the draw has been kind to the club once again this time around, with Manchester United and Chelsea, should the latter defeat Middlesbrough, up against one another at the last eight stage. Manchester City may have an easy draw at home to Barnsley, no offence, but the likelihood is that one of the three teams above them in the Premier League will crash out of the FA Cup at the quarter final stage.
Should City defeat Barnsley and United and Chelsea come up against each other, a favourable semi final draw between the two Premier League sides will work in Everton’s favour, especially with either Millwall or Blackburn Rovers in the next round, this year could be the one the Toffees end their 18 year wait for silverware.