Crystal Palace move into FA Cup semi-finals after rout of Everton

On a soft, spring-like south London afternoon Crystal Palace produced a performance of thrust, energy and refined attacking interplay to surge on into an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.

It helped that they were pitched against an Everton team that seemed to have no real idea how it wanted to play, and none of the rage and resilience required to respond once they fell behind. Not to mention no further answer as Palace scored twice in each half. By the end the 4-0 scoreline looked a little kind to the visitors.

This was the first time Patrick Vieira had started his entire hand of attacking players - Patrick’s Pups (age range: 21 to 29) - in the same game. It has been a theme of the last few months around this place: a team that survived in the top tier by smothering and keeping the centre solid has the weapons to play an entirely different game now.

The third goal on 78 minutes seemed to sum up that fluency, finished off by Wilfried Zaha after Michael Olise’s shot had hit the post, both men alone in the Selhurst sunshine as the white shirts stood and watched, and greeted by another barrelling cheer from a basking home crowd.

The contrast will have been stark for Everton supporters, on a day where their team began with a surge of intent but congealed as soon as the day turned against them. Here was an opposition with a clear set of attacking patterns, with players who were obviously delighted to be out there discovering the deeper gears in this new-build midfield and attack. So this is what team building looks like.

Selhurst Park had been a breezy, chilly place at kick-off, the air thick with flare-smoke, the supersized away end already on its feet. Vieira had made two changes from the 0-0 draw with Manchester City,