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A farewell strike from Romelu Lukaku and a first goal for the club from James McCarthy helped Everton to a comfortable win at Hull, even without conspicuous absentees Ross Barkley and John Stones.
Barkley, the midfielder, and Stones, a defender, were omitted from Roberto Martinez’s matchday 18, fuelling speculation that the Spaniard was privy to Roy Hodgson’s plans for the World Cup.
Martinez said he does not know if either will today be named in the squad for Brazil but confirmed they were rested. He said: “They have played a lot of football of late. We had to protect them today and I wanted to look at other players who have been out injured. Ross and John will be busy this summer. They have the opportunity of representing the senior side but there is also the Under-21s in the Toulon tournament.
“We had to make sure they didn’t go into the summer with a risk of injury. Now they are fine. They’ve been regenerating all week and they’re ready for whatever comes.”
Even without Barkley and Stones, Everton made short work of a Hull team who have had an eye and a half on Wembley since winning the semi-final.
Everton: The latest match picturesShow all 70 1 /70Everton: The latest match pictures Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku, on what could be his last game for the club before rejoining Chelsea, celebrates with the away fans after the Toffees' victory
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Aidan McGeadygets a shot off despite pressure from Maynor Figueroa
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring the Toffees' second
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Seamus Coleman tracks down Maynor Figueroa
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Lacina Traore is tackled by Alex Bruce
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero fires home City's equaliser
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero dribbles past John Stones
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Ross Barkley celebrates after opening the scoring with a superb strike
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Tim Howard looks on as the second own goal of the day goes past him
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Tim Howard can only look on as Seamus Coleman scores Everton's second own goal of the day
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 The Saint's forward Sam Gallagher wheels away after Antolín Alcaraz's own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Antolin Alcarez heads in an own goal to give Southampton the lead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Leighton Baines strikes the opening goal from the spot in Everton's win over Manchester United
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Manchester United manager David Moyes looks on during his side's defeat to Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates after scoring for Everton against Manchester United
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Cameron Jerome celebrates Palace's third - which proved to be the winner
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Kevin Mirallas scores Everton's second but it wasn't enough to claw back Palace
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Jason Puncheon scores Palace's opener
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Everton: The latest match pictures Sunderland 0 Everton 1 Seamus Coleman, Gerard Deulofeu and Steven Naismith of Everton celebrate after Wes Brown of Sunderland scores an own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates Everton's third
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas has an effort on goal but the ball comes off Mikel Arteta for an own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Ross Barkley has an effort on goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku celebrates his goal with manager Roberto Martinez
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku goes on a driving run and cuts inside to smash home Everton's second
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith celebrates his goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith slots home Everton's opening goal with a cool finish
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Bacary Sagna goes in for a tackle on Leighton Baines
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Leon Osman receives treatment and has to go off after a clash with Bacary Sagna
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Steven Naismith (left) scores Everton's third against Fulham
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Kevin Mirallas (right) celebrates Everton's second goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale fails to stop a shot by Steven Naismith (not pictured) of Everton for the opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Ross Barkley silenced the Newcastle home fans after 22 minutes
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Tim Krul vents his anger at his Newcastle teammates after conceding the first goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Romelu Lukaku scores Everton's second goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Ashley Williams scores in the last minute for Swansea
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Romelu Lukaku restores Everton's lead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Leighton Baines opens the scoring from the penalty spot
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Seamus Coleman celebrates his late winner
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Seamus Coleman scores the winner late on for Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Wilfried Zaha shots under pressure from John Stones
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Juan Cala equalises for Cardiff
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Gerard Deulofeu scores Everton's opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil celebrate Arsenal's fourth goal and victory
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Olivier Giroud scores his second and Arsenal's fourth against Everton to go through to the FA Cup semi finals
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Mikel Arteta scores a penalty against his former club to put Arsenal 2-1 up
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 In a sun bathed Emirates Stadium, fellow England youngsters Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley go in for a challenge
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after his goal makes it one all
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Romelu Lukaku taps in to draw Everton level
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Leighton Baines and Mesut Ozil contest a header during the FA Cup quarter final tie
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain congratulates Mesut Ozil after the German's opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Mesut Ozil rejoins Arsenal's starting line up and puts the Gunners ahead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 West Ham 0 Romelu Lukaku scores a late winner for Everton
Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Chelsea celebrate late winner against Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 John Terry and Frank Lampard celebrate after Chelsea go 1-0 up in the last minute
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Chelsea take the lead against Everton in the last minute
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Andre Schurrle and James McCarthy battle for the ball
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Tim Howard stops a shot from Branislav Ivanovic
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Frank Lampard and Leighton Baines don't hold back in a 50/50 tackle
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Leon Osmon controls the ball despite pressure from three Chelsea players
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Tim Howard punches clear despite pressure from John Terry
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 1 Lacina Traore celebrates opening the scoring for Everton in this FA Cup match
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Everton: The latest match pictures Tottenham 1 Everton 0 Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates scoring the only goal of the game against Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Leandro Bacuna gives Villa the lead
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Bacuna celebrates his goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Kevin Mirallas has a shot at goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Distin and Benteke battle for the ball
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Steven Naismith equalises for Everton
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Kevin Mirallas gives Everton the lead with a free kick
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Everton celebrate their winning goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Liverpool 4 Everton 0 Daniel Sturridge celebrates his second goal against Everton
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Allan McGregor returned to the Tigers team for the first time since 26 March, having made a surprisingly recovery after breaking three ribs and damaging his kidney in a clash at West Ham United for which he was sent off. This was a chance to prove he deserves the call over Steve Harper at Wembley but McGregor failed his first test.
Lukaku found Steven Naismith, whose incisive pass was perfect for McCarthy. The shot was firm but McGregor got a hand to it and should have kept it out. Instead, it looped inside the back post.
Everton were comfortable and, 46 seconds after the break, they worked the ball from the right-back area and, when Leon Osman’s pass released Lukaku, the Belgian shrugged off Paul McShane and hit his 16th goal of his season on loan from Chelsea.
Hull have not won since booking a return to Wembley and Steve Bruce, their manager, said: “We’ve limped along in the last few weeks. We’re not a team that can saunter around. Nowhere near. I can understand it to a degree. None of them have played in the FA Cup final before, so they’re desperate to play.”
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