Middlesbrough's creaking collection of antique footballers were ruthlessly shredded by an Everton team which just might have returned its season to the right side of the tracks.
Not content with moving into the latter stages of this season's FA Cup, the Mersey-siders have now started winning league games. Whatever next? In their previous 12 Premiership fixtures at Goodison Park, Everton had managed to amass just three goals. But on a night when Middlesbrough were humiliated, they flowed like vintage claret.
Everton produced a majestic and compelling move inside the opening minute, one which made an absolute mockery of their recent undistinguished form.
Don Hutchison's fine pass from central midfield released Francis Jeffers down the right flank and once his superb, low cross had made its way through a posse of back-pedalling defenders, Nick Barmby could not miss.
An inevitable second came after just 16 minutes. It also involved the same three players with Hutchison this time serving up the final pass for Barmby to execute smartly.
Everton moved effortlessly into the comfort zone after 61 minutes, Hutchison firing in a low drive which goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could only deflect into the path of Olivier Dacourt.
Middlesbrough's white flag of surrender was already fluttering when, four minutes later, Everton scored again, the central defender Marco Materazzi sweeping home a free kick from 20 yards.
David Unsworth arrived unannounced inside a crowded penalty area to add another with a header on 74 minutes.
Everton: Myhre, Ball, Unsworth, Materazzi, Dunne, Dacourt, Barmby, Oster (Weir 73), Grant, Jeffers (Bakayoko 76), Hutchison. Subs Not Used: Cadamarteri, O'Kane, Simonsen. Booked: Dacourt, Ball. Goals: Barmby 1, 16, Dacourt 62, Materazzi 67, Unsworth 74.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Gordon, Pallister, Cooper, Stockdale, Mustoe, Gascoigne (Ricard 71), Townsend, Vickers (Summerbell 71), Beck, Campbell (Maddison 80). Subs Not Used: Moore, Beresford. Booked: Townsend, Pallister, Summerbell.
Referee: K Burge (Tonypandy).
