SUDDENLY the idea of FA Cup semi-finals being played at Wembley doesn’t seem so sacrilegious.

Contrariness is the prerogative of the football supporter though, and just as fans moan about money ruining the game until some billionaire buys their club, it’s easy to talk about the traditions of the world’s greatest cup competition being sullied until you find yourself ninety minutes away from a day out at the new national stadium.

Obviously we as Evertonians have to guard against becoming too presumptuous – after all, we’ve suffered painful exits from this competition at the hands of both Middlesbrough and West Ham – but at the same time you really can’t blame Blues for feeling a tiny bit bullish at the moment.

A derby win would normally represent the highlight of any cup run, but Sunday’s victory over bang-in-form Aston Villa was even better due to the make-up of the Everton starting eleven.

Even David Moyes admitted that the late loss of Leon Osman, on top of all the other crocked or ineligible players, might have proven one injury too many.

However, the way the Everton squad keep defying expectations like this, you wouldn’t be that surprised if Lars Jacobsen, Segundo Castillo and Andy van der Meyde tore Newcastle United apart this weekend.

As well as the players, Moyes himself deserves a lot of credit for how he has handled the injury crisis.

There was a time when the Blues’ boss was more likely to chin a player than put his arm around him – the tales of his bust-ups at Preston and at Everton are legendary – but in recent weeks he’s shown how his managerial style has definitely matured.