Vierra’s Palace thrash Everton to storm FA Cup semis

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira says the club is enjoying an “exciting period” after booking their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a dominant 4-0 win over Everton at Selhurst Park.

First-half goals from Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta put them in full control before Wilfried Zaha and Will Hughes secured the win, as the hosts’ verve and attacking purpose overpowered a poor Toffees side.

“Going to Wembley is fantastic,” Vieira told ITV after the game. “You can hear the atmosphere in the stadium, the fans; this is what they wanted and we wanted to give it to them.

“They’ve been fantastic in getting behind the team. It is just a step forward; there is a long way to go. This is an exciting period for us, we will enjoy it and we will enjoy today.”

Palace will meet Chelsea, who beat Middlesbrough on Saturday, for a place in the final.

Such a heavy defeat for Everton looked unlikely as they made a ferocious start, almost taking the lead inside the first minute through Michael Keane before Richarlison tangled with Guehi but was ruled to be offside.

Vieira admitted his side were under pressure from the start, but said not conceding an early goal was key to the result.

“We went through difficult times in the game, especially the first 15 or 20 minutes. But we didn’t concede; when we scored first, we started to believe more and managed to win the game.

“The crucial point was the first 15 minutes because they were on top of us; they had momentum.

“We showed maturity because we went longer and played for the second ball – it got us into the game.”

After Everton’s Andros Townsend was forced off with an injury, the hosts settled down and Guehi put them ahead on 25 minutes with a powerful header from Michael Olise’s pinpoint corner.

Everton’s poor marking almost cost them again moments later as Zaha got across Godfrey to meet Mateta’s byeline cross, only to fire narrowly wide.

With half-time looming, Palace made it 2-0. Eberechi Eze combined with Zaha, who reversed roles with Mateta, crossing low for the striker to finish emphatically past Jordan Pickford.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was summoned at half-time by Everton, but there was no immediate upturn in fortune for Frank Lampard’s side, who lacked ideas and energy.

Zaha made the result sure 11 minutes from time, slamming home the rebound after Olise’s looped shot came back off the post.

And, after a VAR check for handball, Hughes compounded Everton’s misery with a close-range finish in the closing stages.