March

Having opened the scoring after just 49 seconds of Everton's FA Cup win over Blackpool in late February, Royston Drenthe was on the scoresheet for a second successive match as the Blues got March underway with a 1-1 draw at QPR.

Goodison was once again proving a near-impenetrable fortress and Harry Redknapp's Tottenham became the next team to fall at its gates the following week as Nikica Jelavic cleverly side-footed home to register his first Everton goal.

The Merseyside derby at Anfield proved an evening to forget but all attention was on the FA Cup and the quarter-final visit of Sunderland.

With a sense of great expectation rising among the Blue half of Merseyside, the dream threatened to become a nightmare when Phil Bardsley gave the visitors the lead. However, in Tim Cahill the Toffees possessed a familiar saviour, and the Australian popped up midway through the first half to send the tie to a replay.

A home defeat to Arsenal and impressive win at Swansea followed before another Jelavic strike and a comical own goal from David Vaughan gave the Blues a 2-0 victory at the Stadium of Light, teeing up a mouthwatering Wembley meeting with neighbours Liverpool.

March ended on another high as goals from Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe ensured a third straight win, this time at home to West Brom.