Sitting amongst the Evertonians at Selhurst Park was something like being stuck in an open-air maternity hospital with 5,000 expectant fathers. Powerless, frustrated, nervous, the tension was so bad that even at 3-1 up with 120 tortuous seconds left, there was no unbating of breath, no uncrossing of fingers. Everton's little miracle has been a long time coming.
Everton have been here before. A basically talented team going nowhere in the early 1980s was transformed according to legend by one Kevin Brock back pass at Oxford. Adrian Heath scored, saved Howard Kendall from the sack and the team learned to believe in themselves sufficiently for a mediocre outfit to become the best club side in Europe within 12 months.
So much for the legend. In fact Brock was not the midwife of Everton's 1980s rebirth. It was actually the signing of an unheralded foreigner, the Belgian-born latter day Welshman Pat van den Hauwe, that shifted the balance of the side ever so slightly but ever so significantly, allowing the rest of the team to perform to their obvious ability. Mikael Madar on Saturday's showing has a spookily familiar feel.
French he may be, Cantona he is not. Madar is a very English-looking centre forward, a good strong target man, he holds the ball well, wins a good share of free-kicks, finishes effectively and simply, but most importantly gives Everton a second option up front alongside Ferguson. The pair linked up yesterday as if to Le Manoir born. On the back of that, Barmby looked to have a new lease of life in a much better protected "hole" and Everton's youngsters seemed much less obsessed about whacking aimless balls in the vague direction of Ferguson.
Someone also appears to have mentioned to Everton the possible benefits of crossing the ball with some accuracy. Ferguson got Everton's second goal with a towering eight-yard header over Linighan from a Thomas byeline cross. Madar got the third from Grant's diagonal cross, side footed and half volleyed home from six yards after Linighan watched the ball go over his and Ferguson's head.
But it was Everton's first that suggested they may have the good fortune to survive this season and prosper. A Short pass was back flicked through the legs of the hapless Linighan for Barmby to shoot home from 10 yards unmarked after three minutes. Poor old Linighan had an absolute stinker.
He should have given his match fee to the unpaid on loan Tomas Brolin, who was Palace's only ray of hope in an otherwise dismal day. The less said about Palace the better. Terrible in defence, predictable in attack and fairly clueless in midfield, they will have to do more than this to survive.
Crystal Palace: Miller, Edworthy, Gordon, Roberts, Linighan, Dyer, Rodger (Bent 62), Hreidarsson, Emblen (Boxall 46), Fullarton, Brolin. Subs Not Used: Nash, Quinn, Ginty. Booked: Rodger. Goals: Dyer 17 pen.
Everton: Myhre, Madar (Cadamarteri 75), Barmby, Ferguson, Speed, Short, Thomas, Grant (Farrelly 71), Tiler, Ball, Bilic, Cadamarteri (Thomsen 84). Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Oster. Booked: Ball, Bilic. Goals: Barmby 3, Ferguson 12, Madar 34.
Referee: G P Barber (Pyrford).
