Duncan Ferguson omen for Frank Lampard after day that left Evertonians 'smitten'

On this day in 1995 an Everton side threatened by relegation pulled off a shock result against high-flying Mancunian visitors to Goodison Park with the result proving to be a crucial turning point to galvanise the Blues’ season.

An omen for this weekend as Pep Guardiola’s side head to the ‘Grand Old Lady’?

Frank Lampard, who now employs Duncan Ferguson, the match-winner from 27 years ago as his assistant manager, must surely be hoping so.

Back then, Everton went into the fixture even closer to the drop zone – a single point rather than the still uncomfortable two point ‘cushion’ they currently occupy – but their morale-boosting victory against the reigning Premier League champions not only boosted them in their fight against relegation but ultimately helped give them the belief to achieve Wembley glory against the same opponents in the FA Cup final three months later.

Manager Alex Ferguson would dominate English football with Manchester United for much of his namesake and compatriot Duncan’s two spells at Goodison Park but if there was one thing Everton’s tartan talisman loved to do it was giving the biggest teams in the land a bloody nose.

Initially brought to the club on a three-month loan to escape the Glasgow goldfish bowl as he awaited a police charge for headbutting Raith Rovers’ Jock McStay (an on field offence he’d later be jailed for), Ferguson seemed to have little idea of the football romance that lay ahead for him on Merseyside when he first arrived.

Asked in a Bournemouth hotel bar ahead of a League Cup tie at Portsmouth by the ECHO’s David Prentice if he’d be staying long-term, he replied: “I wouldnae thought so.”

However, something changed very dramatically in the months ahead for both Ferguson and