Objects thrown at Aston Villa players, prolonged protests against the board after the final whistle and the sight of Steven Gerrard thoroughly enjoying himself at Goodison Park once again. If Everton believed the presence of a popular figure in the dugout and an open letter from Farhad Moshiri could airbrush over fundamental problems at the club, events on and off the pitch told them otherwise.
Duncan Ferguson re-energised Everton as expected and received the fiercely committed display he had demanded. His connection with the fanbase even extended to putting money behind the bars of the Winslow hotel and the Brick, two Evertonian boozers near Goodison Park, to buy regulars a drink before kick-off. But the caretaker-manager was unable to deliver what he and the crowd craved most of all. A fifth home defeat of the season left Everton with 19 points from 20 games, their lowest tally at this stage of a season since 1997-98 when the club avoided relegation on the final day under Howard Kendall.
