Everton V Liverpool: What FA Cup Semifinal Victory Would Mean for the Toffees

Saturday lunchtime sees Everton face off against their arch-rivals, Liverpool, in what will be the Toffees' crux test of the season so far.

The two Merseyside giants will tussle at Wembley in a bid to reach what would be both sides' 14th FA Cup final.

To suffer defeat, and miss out on the final extravaganza, would leave both sets of fans in a truly sombre state.

The loser may well struggle to rouse themselves for the campaign's final few contests, which could easily peter out with little else to challenge for.

However, secure victory on Saturday, and, for so many reasons, all those connected with their club will become possessed by a frenzied anticipation as the climax of the season approaches.

Here is a look at some of those benefits a win would bring to Evertonians.

Revenge over Liverpool

Evertonians have had to stomach two particularly sobering results at the hands of Liverpool this season, each accompanied by some mitigating circumstances.

In the first derby of the season, after evenly squaring off for 20 minutes, Jack Rodwell was given a harsh straight red card for an innocuous challenge, instantly crushing the Toffees' game plan.

With inferior numbers, Everton succumbed to a 2-0 loss on their own patch, unable to mount any further offence.

With fans eager for retribution in the return fixture, they were instead frustrated to see Moyes opt to rest several starters, in a bid to keep his more valued squad members primed for the pending FA Cup quarterfinal.

Such a manoeuvre eventually seemed shrewd enough, as Everton finally navigated their way past Martin O'Neill's outfit, although fans will now be craving victory over their bitter rivals even more than usual.

Liverpool's form has been simply dire in 2012, although such baggage rarely holds sway in a derby match.

Before their recent win over Blackburn, Liverpool's victory over the Toffees in March was their only league victory in nine games, yet that win was sealed on the back of three straight defeats, highlighting its unlikely relevance to tomorrow's fixture.

Even if Everton finish above Liverpool in the league, digesting three straight defeats in a single season would be a stern test for supporters to pass.

A Chance to Earn Season Bragging Rights on Merseyside

As well as elevating the entire blue half of Merseyside on Saturday, glory at Wembley could even result in a rare season of superiority for Evertonians.

David Moyes' side currently lie one point ahead of their rivals in the league, and considering how Liverpool spent over £100 million replenishing their squad last summer—£100 million more than the Toffees—finishing below their neighbours would be unacceptable.

Where would Everton lie now had David Moyes been given £100 million to spend in the summer?

Sure, Liverpool's League Cup success masks elements of their faltering domestic struggles, but were Everton to go on to hoist the FA Cup, and maintain their superior league standing, there would be little the red half of Merseyside could brag about this year.

Winning a first trophy in 17 years, and finishing above Liverpool, for what would only be the second time since 1989, would leave Evertonians toasting the better season for the first time in several seasons.

Likely Return to Europe

Victory on Saturday would all but guarantee European qualification for Everton, which the Toffees have missed out on for the past two seasons.

With Liverpool's triumphant Carling Cup campaign netting a Europa League spot, there remains one place for fifth place in the league and one place for the FA Cup winner, which will be passed on to the runner-up should the winner secure a berth via the league.

Newcastle can still disrupt this by finishing fifth or even fourth, but there is a far bigger chance that—should Everton overcome Liverpool tomorrow—that would be enough to seal qualification, with finalists Tottenham or Chelsea securing it with a league finish.

European football is something David Moyes has always chased hard, and taken seriously when it has been achieved.

As well as drawing in small amounts of extra revenue, television exposure and home gate income, it is another path to a trophy, and it provides extra games that some younger squad members would thrive on.

Fielding a team with Ross Barkley, Shane Duffy and Apostolos Vellios, scattered among some more seasoned professionals, would hardly dent the side during the more premature stages of the competition's format.

Much Needed Extra Income and Exposure

With spiralling debts, no progress on a badly needed new stadium, and a manager becoming increasingly thwarted in the transfer markets (excluding January's success), it is well documented how much Everton have struggled financially over the past few years.

The club has been up for sale for a considerable amount of time, with Bill Kenwright unable to secure any investment.

Winning the semifinal tomorrow would earn the Toffees £900,000 in prize money alone, excluding TV income, match-day gates and other marketable perks of progressing on to the latter stages.

The winner's cheque is just shy of £2 million, and that, added to several other juicy add-ons, would certainly be greeted warmly by the club's creaking cash reserves. 

As well as bolstering these financially impoverished foundations, an FA Cup final spot also attracts welcome attention from all over the globe.

Reaching the final spectacle improves Everton's stance at the negotiating table, potentially opens doors for further lucrative sponsorship, and may even aid the club in finding that elusive investor.

Another Chance for Moyes to Lift the Trophy His Tenure Has Deserved

In 10 years at the club, David Moyes has transformed Everton's fortunes without the luxury of endless funds or unlimited wage budgets.

In the decade before he arrived, the club recorded two top 10 finishes. This season Moyes is likely to make it eight top eight finishes in 10 full years at the helm.

This, along with three LMA Manager of the Year awards (joint most), eight Premier League Manager of the Month trophies (joint third most), a fourth-place finish, an FA Cup runners-up medal, a League Cup semifinal loss and a couple of impressive forays into Europe all decorate his tenure well.

However, the fact he has not gained any actual silverware at Everton haunts him and the players around him.

Should Moyes mastermind victory over Liverpool tomorrow, something he has only managed four times in 22 meetings, he would once again get a chance to land a trophy that his accomplishments deserve.

The supporters have experienced a particularly painful drought in recent years, and seeing Moyes hoist a trophy would spark emotional scenes at the club due to the circumstances around his time in charge.

Achieving such a feat would be down to sheer dogged hard work, team chemistry and morale, tactical care and blind motivation, all traits sure to make any success far more enjoyable than any constructed on the back of vast financial input.

Off the pitch, with a new contract due to be discussed this summer, it would also go a long way to convincing Moyes he can achieve everything he desires at Everton, and ignore probable interest in his services for other sides.

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