Bizarrely finding himself in the sweeper position, Andrei Kanchelskis’ loose pass against Bradford City led to Chris Waddle humiliating Neville Southall with an audacious long range chip.

Unlike the former Manchester United wide man who was an established Premier League performer, a career in England is just beginning for ‘Bily’ but he remains as yet something of an enigma and like Destination Kirkby, Thomas Gravesen and even his team-mate Marouane Fellaini – he continues to divide Evertonians.

After a series of sublime crosses with his cultured left peg helped inspire a 4-0 canter against AEK Athens on his debut, he was instantly dubbed an embryonic Kevin Sheedy.

Bily has also shown an eye for a goal too – with four in a royal blue jersey to date including one in Birmingham’s previous visit to Goodison this term.

However, in the more bustling affairs like this one he continues to go missing.

Russians tend to pride themselves on being of hardy stock and Arsene Wenger has gone on record as saying Andrey Arshavin is as tough as the likes of former Gunners Martin Keown and Steve Bould. Yet on Saturday, Bily seemed to hurt himself on one occasion merely heading the ball.

Whatever his critics might say, there’s a cracking player within him waiting to fulfil his potential.

A bright lad who used to coach the youngsters at his former club, Bily still has time on his side.

It took Saturday’s returning hero Mikel Arteta a while to get to grips with the hurly-burly of the British game – just ask Alex McLeish.

But he must heed the warnings of another hugely talented but often infuriating wide man whom Moyes eventually lost patience with.

James McFadden had the last laugh on this occasion with an exquisite back-heel to tee-up another ‘could have been’ in Barry Ferguson for Birmingham’s second goal but in time he’ll come to rue the fact he never made it here.

Evertonians will be hoping that Bilyaletdinov will ultimately prove a much more fruitful purchase and in doing so, stick around long enough for them to learn how to pronounce his name properly.