Everton 2-0 Chelsea: Romelu Lukaku fires Roberto Martinez's side into the FA Cup semi-finals as Diego Costa sees red for apparent bite on Gareth Barry in battle of the Blues at Goodison Park

When Chelsea decided to buy Diego Costa and sell Romelu Lukaku in the summer of 2014, the theory was that one wasn’t good enough and the other represented an upgrade.

Over the course of a season or two, that judgement may yet prove true. Costa can be among the best.

Yet at Goodison Park, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich must have been reflecting on whether the trade was worth the trouble it has brought.

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku scores the first of two goals against his former side as Chelsea were knocked out of the FA Cup 

Lukaku wheels away in delight after giving Everton the lead with a superb strike having shrugged off four Chelsea defenders on Saturday

The powerful Belgium international fired his second through the legs of his countryman Thibaut Courtois as the Blues wrapped up the win

Diego Costa came close to breaking the deadlock but having rounded goalkeeper Robles his shot crept just the wrong side of the far post

The Spain international then appeared to bite Barry with six minutes remaining when the pair came to blows in a hotly-contested affair

Michael Oliver became the first English referee to send off Costa as he over-stepped the mark one too many times in the latter stages

For one of those men produced a defining performance, scoring two goals, one of them quite outstanding, as he thrust aside multiple Chelsea defenders to finish sublimely.

The other striker is embroiled in a fresh controversy, his jaws appearing to close around the neck of Gareth Barry in a fashion made familiar by Luis Suarez. The fact that Costa seemed to pull back from the apparent intent to bite at the last moment may yet save him.

Yet there is additional footage available that suggests otherwise or contrary evidence from Gareth Barry – and Roberto Martinez indicated that Barry did not seem to think he had been bitten – then a lengthy ban awaits.

Roberto Martinez seemed to think it was all part of the magic of the FA Cup. ‘Diego Costa has a fighting spirit,’ he said. ‘I don’t think it was much. Whatever happens with Diego Costa, I think we should see it as what we want to see in a cup game, real emotions. And I’m sure the players will have shaken it off at the end of the game and there is nothing to look back at.’

Chelsea striker Costa had an eventful evening at Goodison Park and appeared to produce a crude gesture towards Everton fans

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has been under pressure in the Goodison Park hotseat and looked to the FA Cup run for respite

Everton's new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri was in the Goodison crowd for the first time for the Saturday evening kick-off

Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright was also in the stands in a rare appearance this season following a period of ill-health for the impresario

Moshiri will have a strong vision of what he would like to oversee at the Merseyside club over the coming years under his guidance

Leighton Baines returned to the Everton starting line-up in place of Bryan Oviedo during the FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea

That may be. And for Martinez, whose season had been brought back from a precipice, who had re-galvanised a fraught Goodison Park, is was indeed frustrating that a key moment and a trip to Wembley had been overshadowed.

Yet at Goodison they won’t worry much over the rights and wrongs of Diego Costa. They had just witnessed an exceptional goal of considerable strength and no little skill from Lukaku and a famous victory.

In front of their new billionaire majority shareholder, Fahrad Moshri, Everton had made a statement of intent. Their season will not now wither and die; it will at least last until April and the future will be approached with boldness, with Moshri vowing to keep the club’s young stars. That said, with John Stones dropped after last week’s collective defensive meltdown against West Ham. Everton showed there is life with or without their £50million-rated centre half.

‘It was very satisfying,’said Martinez. ‘The pain we had at the weekend came out with an incredible sense of character and responsibility. Two teams went eye to eye. We defended very well. We kept Chelsea to one shot on target. It got up to a moment that needed a moment of magic. Romelu’s goal is going to be one of the best goals scored in the FA Cup and well worth it to take us to Wembley, a great memory for every Evertonian.’

It was indeed. It is not true to say Lukaku unlocked this tie alone. The foundation was provided by a rare, solid defensive performance and an aggressive display by Gareth Barry, wo targeted Costa from the start, not always legally.

And on both occasions he was fed with delightful balls from Ross Barkley. Yet that first goal was a prodigious solo effort, his strength allowing him to shrug off the combined attentions of Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic.

Azpilicueta came back for more but was just brushed aside as Lukaku headed goa-wards, as was John Obi Mikel. For the denouement, Lukaku swerved past Gary Cahill and pulled the ball wide of Thibaut Courtois. The second was more straightforward. Chelsea lost possession from a throw to Barry; Barkley fed Lukaku who outran Ivanovic and smashed the ball home.

Chelsea's Spanish striker Diego Costa was given an early yellow card after seeming to connect with an elbow on midfielder Gareth Barry

Costa feigned injury in the incident but it didn't prevent referee Michael Oliver from brandishing a booking to the controversial striker

Chelsea's Brazilian full-back looks to make progress down the left under pressure from Everton winger Aaron Lennon in the first-half

Everton striker Lukaku was given little service in the opening half and the Belgian had his back to goal on too many occasions

Willian was again one of the few players to possess any real quality in the first-half and the Brazilian's free-kick nearly broke the deadlock

Everton captain Phil Jagielka received a yellow card for a high foot on former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas 

As for Chelsea, the future seems clear. Antonio Conte will doubtless arrive. Some improvement is perhaps inevitable. Yet a team which seemed to be the epitome of solidity a year ago has crumbled and it is by no means apparent whether it can be rebuilt.

Costa’s frustration is presumably mirrored by the entire club; they just hide it better. They battled well for much of the gane, had chances notably a Willian free kick before half time and Costa himself on 58 minutes. Yet the next two months are largely an irrelevance.

‘It is difficult to judge whether I have been a success because success here is playing a final and winning a final,’ said Guus Hiddink. ‘But you must be realistic. This year is not just from the start, but from December when it was difficult to go fresh for the prizes. Success is winning FA Cup or Champions League but in December people inside were sweating where they were.’ So that is how 2015-16 will be judged for Chelsea, the reigning champions; the year we avoided relegation. 

Tom Cleverley looks to connect with a first-time shot in stoppage time of the first half but it was comfortable for keeper Thibaut Courtois

Martinez and Hiddink watch on from the sidelines as both sides looked to wrestle the lead in the second quarter-final tie of the weekend

Chelsea defender John Terry returned off the bench after a lay-off as Guus Hiddink's side failed to progress to the FA Cup semi-finals

Seamus Coleman had a fine game at full-back for the Toffees and kept Costa at bay on this occasion clearing his lines down the right

Everton's Argentine defender Ramiro Funes Mori couldn't keep his header down from Cleverley's delivery from a corner in the second-half

Barry received his marching orders for a challenge on Cesc Fabregas but by the time of his dismissal the damage had already been done