You knew that Moyesy would ring the changes and rest some of the lads ahead of the semi. Gibbo Jelly, Tim, Sylvain and Bainsey were rested.
As suggested it was Phil Neville who went left back with Hibbo on the right. We had Jags and Johnny in the middle.
Up front Strac was back on his own. Faddy on the right and Maggie on the left. And in the middle of the park surprisingly Felli plays alongside Peanuts and Ossie.
Gibbo and Sylvain were joined by Duffers, Victor, Seamus, Royston and Jan.
Everton started the game very well and had the majority of the possession. Steven Pienaar was at the heart of most of our play running things from the middle of the park.
There was a subdued atmosphere in the early stages with fans having other things on their mind. But the players were giving it their best shot. Tony Hibbert in particular was flying in with the tackles. One juicy one on the alleged hard man Lee Cattermole.
It was the Sunderland captain who upended Peanuts on the edge of the box that earned him a yellow. But Faddy got nowhere with his effort.
Faddy was getting plenty of the ball on the right hand side. He looks a bit like Alexi Sayle. I said he looks like not he plays like.
Our first real chance fell to Peanuts. It was set up for him with lovely footy from Maggie. He cut inside and pulled a ball to the edge of the box but Steven blazed his shot over.
Felli was also in the thick of things. He had a couple of efforts. His first was a shot from outside the box and the second was when Ossie crossed to him on the penalty spot but he screwed his shot well wide.
Sessegnon had Sunderlands only effort of note of the first half and what an effort it was. It was an overhead kick that flew just wide of Tims post.
Half Time Everton 0 Sunderland 0
Everton got the half to the best possible start with a goal just after five minutes. It was a corner taken by Faddy that was cleared at the near post. Peanuts headed back into the edge of the box were Ossie was waiting to hit it first time. The goalie made a decent block but it bounced kindly for Maggie to blast home.
Sunderland made a bit of a fist of it but game went Evertons way when Royston replaced a very tired McFadden. The one thing you can't deny is Royston makes things happen. He was on the ball immediately and he set Peanuts for the second. Roy was wide right he cut and put a great ball to Ossie who passed it onto Peanuts who curled a peach from the edge of the box. A beauty.
A minute later Ossie wasn't to be out done scored probably a better one. He was played in by Maggie and from about the same place as Peanuts goal he curled an unstoppable shot in off the post.
The two lads deserved the goals, they were both brilliant on the day.
Vic cam on for Felli and with his second touch he scored. It was a Goodison goal fest. Again it was Pienaar who got free on the right and cut it back for Vic to have a go. He miss hit his first go but the ball bounced kindly for him to have another which hit a Sunderland defender on the way into the net.
Steven Pienaar was the Bluekipper Starman. He was outstanding but you could have chosen any of about five players. Ossie, Johnny, Hibbo and Felli ran him close.
Everton gave the fans a big boost with today's performance and hopefully their form can continue into next week's big game. Well done lads.
Full Time Everton 4 Sunderland 0
