Everton have had little luck of the past few seasons, finishing outside the top six in the Premier League and suffering defeat in cup competitions.
But what specific moments have really had the Toffees fans’ blood boiling? Here’s a look at just three fume-inducing moments from over the years…
Romelu Lukaku’s FA Cup penalty miss
The Belgian striker was hit-and-miss during his Everton career, amassing a very impressive 87 goals but not always sitting well with the fans.
One moment in particular that had the Toffees raging was during their FA Cup semi-final clash against Manchester United. A Marouane Fellaini goal had United in front when Everton were given a golden opportunity to get themselves back in the game and potentially go on to win – a penalty.
Up stepped Lukaku, firing in a low ball in which David de Gea seemed to save with no trouble at all. Everton went on to lose the match 2-1, something which the fans are still furious over to this day.
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Ross Barkley’s move to Chelsea
Losing a homegrown player always sparks a lot of emotions across the fanbase, usually a mix of disappointment and the odd well wish. However, Barkley’s departure really didn’t go down well with the majority of Everton fans, who still can’t forgive him.
The Merseyside local made his move to Chelsea in 2018 – a great deal for the player but a very costly loss to the club, but not a loss of talent. Barkley was offered a £30m deal from the London side in January, but he instead left Goodison just before his contract expired in the summer, selling for half the price.
Fans were furious and bitterly disappointed in the 26-year-old for not making the initial move despite rejecting a new Everton contract. The club lost out on £15m which could have been put towards strengthening the squad.
James Beattie’s eighth-minute red card
In a game that was viewed as a must-win for the Toffees, a player in the worst position imaginable was given his marching orders less than ten minutes into the fixture. Striker Beattie was shown a straight red card after he was seen to have head-butted Chelsea’s William Gallas.
The London side went on to win by a slim 1-0 scoreline and as a result of his actions, Beattie was ruled out of Everton’s huge FA Cup fifth-round clash against Man United. The Toffees fell to their Northern rivals 2-0, which the suspended striker likely could have helped prevent.
Fans were naturally massively frustrated with his unnecessary sending off and it’s a moment many Toffees look back on and still roll their eyes.
