Yahoo News Man United had 'no regrets' about what they did to Everton even if David Moyes made them pay
Everton triumphed on eight occasions at the original Wembley with a quartet of both FA Cup final and Charity Shield successes but their only victory to date at the new national stadium came 15 years ago today.
After captain Dixie Dean headed in during Everton’s 3-0 win over Manchester City in the 1933 FA Cup final to give the club their inaugural success under the Twin Towers, they also lifted the trophy against Sheffield Wednesday (3-2 in 1966); Watford (2-0 in 1984) and Manchester United (1-0 in 1995). Although Charity Shield matches took place at club grounds in the early years, the Blues took the honours at Wembley in the season’s traditional curtain-raiser against Liverpool (1-0 in 1984); Manchester United (2-0 in 1985); Coventry City (1-0 in 1987) and Blackburn Rovers (1-0 in 1995) as well as sharing it with the Reds after a 1-1 draw in 1986.
Since the north London venue was rebuilt though, Everton’s only success there so far was in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on April 19, 2009. Alex Ferguson’s side were chasing a repeat of the treble they’d secured a decade early but although they’d hold on to lift their third Premier League title in a row, they’d lose 2-0 to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the Champions League final and their hopes of securing a domestic double were dashed by David Moyes’ men.
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And Ferguson picked a changed side for the match, with youngsters Federico Macheda and Fabio da Silva among the players handed starts.
"I am absolutely convinced I picked the right team," he said. "I have no regrets about it at all. After yesterday, I knew there would be some criticism because it did not work for us.
"But we are coming to that period now where it is game after game. It is all go and I need to pick the right teams. It is not nice to lose a semi-final and this one is no different."
Chances were at a premium during the goalless stalemate with Ferguson furious that his side were not awarded a penalty when Danny Welbeck went down under a challenge from Phil Jagielka. However, Everton’s Mancunian centre-back – who was a boyhood United fan – proved to be their hero as the game went to spot-kicks having seen his effort saved in the UEFA Cup shoot-out exit to Fiorentina at Goodison Park the previous season.
Tim Cahill stepped up first but his effort flew over the crossbar. United failed to take advantage though as Dimitar Berbatov’s shot was then saved by Old Trafford old boy Tim Howard.
Leighton Baines – who went on to score the most penalties in Everton history in ordinary play (25) – fired the Blues in front and they had the advantage as Howard saved again to deny Rio Ferdinand. Everton captain and ex-United stalwart Phil Neville then struck to put his side 2-0 up and although all the subsequent spot-kicks were also converted from Nemanja Vidic, James Vaughan and Anderson, when Jagielka slotted home, the Blues had won 4-2, sparking wild scenes of celebration.
The ECHO’s Dominic King wrote: “Romance is dead, the famous old pot has lost its sheen, football is predictable, blah, blah, blah. We’ve heard a million times and more in the last few years that the FA Cup is no longer the tournament with which we grew up, an unhelpful addition to an already crammed fixture list and no longer capable of producing dewy eyed stories.
“Try telling that to any Evertonian you encounter today who doubtless will have little or no voice left. Suggest it to David Moyes, his coaching staff and the players who ran themselves to a standstill; make the point to ecstatic chairman Bill Kenwright.
“If some neutrals will grumble that Everton’s tussle with Manchester United was low on quality or goalmouth incident, take no notice. Many things that are great about football were encapsulated in yesterday’s FA Cup semi-final.
“And, thank heavens, it had the outcome that every Blue had been hoping and praying for – a place in the final that is watched by millions the world over for the first time in 14 years. Fantasy is quickly becoming reality in this most incredible of seasons.”
Match-winner Jagielka, whose last spot-kick had been the one saved by Sebastian Frey in Europe, 13 months earlier, said: “Before the penalty shoot-out, the manager knew we were a bit fragile. So he told us that he was as proud as punch and we had nothing to lose.
“We were still underdogs and he could see there were nerves but he settled us down and it was our day. We celebrated but that was more for the fans.
“We appreciated the noise they made and the commitment they showed coming down here but it wasn’t so mad when we got into the changing rooms. We want to go and win the cup now.”
Unfortunately, if a week is a long time in politics, the same goes for football, and the following Saturday at Goodison, Jagielka was forced off after 63 minutes when rupturing his anterior cruciate ligaments in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City. The future captain wouldn’t play another first-team match for another 10 months and duly missed Everton’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the 2009 FA Cup final.
