FA Cup: Everton 3 Aston Villa 1 - full time report

Feb 15 2009 By Paul Walker, PA Sport

FA Cup 5th Round: Everton 3 Aston Villa 1

Villa's FA Cup dream ended at Goodison Park as Everton marched on to the quarter-finals.

Villa, under Martin O'Neill's inspirational leadership, had not lost a domestic match since Middlesbrough beat them on November 9.  Since then they have surged into the top four of the Premier League, and one of their most impressive victories was a stunning 3-2 success over Everton in December.

But Everton have lost just one of 13 since losing out to a stoppage-time goal on that occasion, and they have taken on the look of a side that believe they are Wembley-bound, having beaten Liverpool in the last round.

First-half goals from Rodwell and Arteta, who converted a penalty, put them well on course.  James Milner had pulled Villa level at one stage from the spot, but Cahill's late third condemned the visitors to defeat.

With a UEFA Cup tie against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday and a home league clash with Chelsea next Sunday, Villa's tremendous season is now at a crucial point.

Everton striker Victor Anichebe returned to the side for the first time since his training ground bust-up with manager David Moyes earlier in the month.

With new loan signing Jo cup-tied, and with James Vaughan, Ayegbeni Yakubu and Louis Saha all injured, the Everton boss was left with little choice up front but to reinstate the Nigerian.

Everton were also without the suspended Steven Pienaar while Leon Osman was a late withdrawal with a rib problem.
Villa had Gareth Barry also banned, while Emile Heskey did not make the squad, and that will only annoy boss O'Neill further.

O'Neill has already complained that England should not have played Heskey in the midweek defeat in Spain because the striker was nursing an Achilles injury.

This tie then had a dramatic start with two goals in the first eight minutes.

Everton struck first after three minutes when 17-year-old Rodwell fired in from close range after Cahill's header from Arteta's corner had been cleared off the line by Stiliyan Petrov.

Stand-in Villa captain Petrov looked to have used his hand to block the first effort on