FA Cup Fourth round/ Everton 3 Sunderland 0: Routine victory has brought relief. Everton may have strolled rather than seared into the fifth round but the resurgence enjoyed by James McFadden, and a timely first goal pilfered by James Beattie, should benefit them on all fronts in the weeks to come. The locals can afford to look at the bigger picture these days.
Given the occasional jitters which have unsettled David Moyes's side over the last month, the relative ease of their progress will have been appreciated. Sunderland, one of the best sides the Championship can offer, shipped early and never seriously threatened to revive, allowing McFadden, good nuisance value up front throughout, to revel in the formality of it all.
The Scot needed this. The 21-year-old has infuriated since arriving from Motherwell for £1.25m in September 2003, his occasionally brilliant displays forgotten amid general mediocrity.
"I've not pulled my weight," he admitted. "Sometimes I've felt as though I needed to do everything: to score 10, beat everyone and set up all the goals, just to prove myself. I know it's been frustrating for people to watch me."
The irritant has been McFadden's inability to impose his obvious talent, though three goals - his first for the club - in his last four starts are an indication that he is finally finding his feet. His opener here, speared at the near post from Kevin Kilbane's excellent cross, deflated the Wearsiders, for all the bellowed support from 6,000 travelling partisans.
"I feel as if I'm contributing at last," added McFadden, who started the season's opener to Arsenal but didn't start a Premiership game again until New Year's Day. "There wasn't a valid case for anyone to be dropped. Now I've had my chance I'd like to think I've taken it." He will have to prove as effective against better opponents than these to justify retaining that place.
The chasm between Premiership and Championship had not been so apparent when Sunderland breezed past Crystal Palace three weeks previously, but the gulf between those near the tops of the respective divisions was painfully evident here. The visitors were comfortable in possession and eked out the occasional opportunity - Stephen Elliott drilling wide, Michael Bridges following suit in the dying seconds - but, for pace, they could offer only plod. That Alessandro Pistone out-sprinted Marcus Stewart early in the second half was damning.
It was in the full-back positions where they struggled most, leaving the inexperienced centre-half pairing of Danny and Neill Collins horribly exposed. Beattie turned the latter before seeing his shot deflected in by the former, with the excellent Tim Cahill nodding in McFadden's cross to complete Everton's most emphatic win of the season. "We were comfortably beaten by a better side," said Mick McCarthy. "No arguments."
This was a chilling reminder of what awaits Sunderland should they secure promotion.
"I think we're the best team in the Championship," said the visitors' midfielder Sean Thornton. "We'll get promoted as the best team in the division, and at least we have no distractions now."
A positive reaction to an afternoon of anti-climax. For Everton, and McFadden in particular, the positives must be maintained.
Guardian Service
