Everton ended third-tier Oldham Athletic's giantkilling FA Cup run with a 3-1 victory in their fifth round replay on Tuesday to tee up an all Premier League quarter-final against Wigan Athletic.
Belgian Kevin Mirallas and Leighton Baines put the home side 2-0 up in the first half before Leon Osman added a third after the hour mark to show the gulf in class against Liverpool's surprise fourth-round conquerors.
Matt Smith, who equalised in stoppage time for Oldham in the 2-2 draw at home to Everton on February 16, struck with a header from a corner moments later to give the visitors hope but the hosts were never really troubled again in the final half hour.
Five-time Cup winners Everton, seeking a first trophy since 1995 and their first under long-serving manager David Moyes having lost the final to Chelsea in 2009, will next host Wigan on March 9.
"We've gone close a couple of times so it's whetted the appetite and we want to go that bit further and win something," Baines told ITV.
"Because we are at home against Wigan, we will be favourites but we've had tough games with them over the last few years and they are off the back of a good result so they will be confident," added the defender, a former Wigan player.
Everton started brightly against their lowly opponents and Mirallas produced a smart finish to get the home side up and running when he expertly side-footed Darron Gibson's accurate cross into the net on the half volley.
Former Everton player Jose Baxter then hit the post with a swift turn and shot from outside the area less than two minutes after Mirallas had struck at the other end.
Baines made it 2-0 with a penalty and Osman's deft flick crept through the grasp of goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis, who was put off by striker Nikica Jelavic's attempted flick of the ball.
"It's disappointing. It's been a pretty epic run," said Oldham's Smith of his side's impressive displays in this year's FA Cup, an away defeat of former European champions NottinghamForest and then the famous 3-2 Liverpool upset.
Second-tier Middlesbrough take on European champions Chelsea on Wednesday to decide the last quarter-final berth, the winners to face Manchester United on March 10.
Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters
