Compare that to Benitez’s crass comments about Everton and Extremadura, while ignoring the shortcomings of his own team, and it’s easy to see why David Moyes spoke of Everton’s class and dignity when he must have been tempted to say, “Oh talk to the hand, Rafa.”

As Blues, we are all aware that we will have to offer more going forward in the replay if we are to progress to the next round and the opportunity to do some score-settling against Aston Villa.

We know we can though, as we only have to look back to the league match last Monday when, with Mikel Arteta pulling the strings, we gave as good as we got against our illustrious neighbours.

Both clubs learned a lot about their teams in this past week or so, and Evertonians have to be the happiest with what was revealed.

Liverpool are a very good side – the league doesn’t lie – but the tension is beginning to tell over there as they reach the point where expectations are starting to outstrip ability.

And although Benitez is right to point out that it’s hard to break down defensively-minded away teams, he must also know that Manchester United, those big panic-inducing bogey-men from down the East Lancs, seem to generally manage it just fine.

As for the Blues, well they just continue to defy the odds, to the point where it seems they could almost play any XI and still give anyone a good game.

Initially, the loss of Arteta certainly looked like an injury too many on Sunday, with Segundo Castillo hardly a like-for-like replacement, but again the workrate, organisation and attitude – traits that we are almost bored of talking about now – saw Everton through.

Hopefully those attributes, along with the return of a couple of players, can produce equally commendable performances against the Gunners tonight, United on Saturday, and Liverpool in that eagerly awaited replay.