Everton had a double incentive to overshadow Wimbledon in their upcoming clash. In the first instance, the Blues wanted quickfire revenge over the Londoners whose recent FA Cup victory at the Goodison wrecked Everton’s trophy dreams for another season.
Equally a positive result at Selhurst Park would take Howard Kendall’s men above arch-rivals, Liverpool, in the league. In a season to forget, the Merseyside rivals were 12th and 13th in the table separated by just the goal difference. Although Liverpool had a game in hand, getting one over your arch-rivals was always a big moment for both the clubs.
