Anthony Martial’s late strike saw Manchester United snatch victory over Everton in the FA Cup semi-final.

Roberto Martinez’s side appeared condemned to their fate midway through the first half after former Blues midfielder Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring for United.

But a rousing fightback after the interval saw Everton pull level through a Chris Smalling own goal with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

In the third minute of added time, however, Martial struck to seal a place in next month’s final for Louis van Gaal’s side.

Here were the main talking points from Everton’s unsuccessful Wembley encounter…

Time to go, Roberto

 

On the back of a chastening week for Roberto Martinez, his Everton future hinged on the outcome of this FA Cup semi-final encounter.

When will he learn from mistakes? Is he even capable of learning?

Long-suffering Evertonians already know the answer to both and have been more than patient in these last two seasons.

Farhad Moshiri, the club’s new majority shareholder, appears to have grand designs of elevating Goodison Park back to its once rightful place.

That journey cannot be undertaken as Martinez continues to take Everton backwards.

The time has come for Martinez to finally walk away.

Still work to do before Lukaku joins big-time

 

The clamour over Romelu Lukaku’s future will continue at pace in the prelude to Euro 2016.

On the evidence of his forgettable Wembley outing, that volume requires some significant downturn.

Mino Raiola is unlikely to be including this performance in the Belgium international’s show reel as he attempts to canvas the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, three clubs name-dropped by the super agent.

Lukaku’s first touch was hefty and sluggish. His goal poaching fared little better, notably choosing to go for glory in the first half after rounding David de Gea from a narrow angle instead of squaring to an unmarked Tom Cleverley.

When Martial stroked home in the 93rd minute, the gulf in quality between the pair became evident.

Now score-less in six games in all competitions, Lukaku’s haste to escape Goodison appears to have clouded the attributes which made him so revered.

Fix the defence – and fast

 

Leon Osman’s absence from Everton’s starting line-up may have a footnote in an increasingly disappointing season – but what he has to say about Martinez’s approach is indicative of why things have reached this stage.

In the midfielder’s autobiography, published in 2014, he revealed that Blues number-two Graham Jones queried the logic in spending two hours practicing defending set pieces instead of working on ‘moving the ball’.

Clearly defensive diligence remains taboo at Goodison under Martinez, typified by another game of over-exposure at the hands of Louis van Gaal’s side.

United were afforded unprecedented freedom to exploit the spaces in a makeshift defence. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford regularly tormented Muhamed Besic, deputising at right-back, while Wayne Rooney was able to cut his former club apart with incisive yet simple balls.

It was symptomatic of how far Everton’s defensive stock has fallen. How the likes of Osman and Phil Jagielka must yearn for the solidity they once enjoyed under David Moyes’ tutelage. Those days need to finally return.

Too little, too late again from the Blues

 

Boos and jeers from the travelling Everton fans at half time told the story of their first half – it was simply not good enough.

Such was the absence of heart at times that it appeared Martinez’s players had given up the ghost, potentially on their increasingly beleaguered manager.

Though things improved significantly after the interval, spearheaded by Ross Barkley and Lukaku, it was once again a case of too little, too late.