Everton a dark horse for FA Cup glory?

This weekend brings with the quarter finals of the FA Cup and with the field narrowing once more after this round the clear favourites look to be the Manchester clubs.

It is a big ask for a haphazard Chelsea team to get a result at Old Trafford, a venue which has been a fortress this season for Sir Alex Ferguson's men, and Manchester City should be able to dispose of Barnsley with relative ease. 

There will definitely be one lower league team in the semi-finals of this year's competition as the draw has pitted Milwall and Blackburn against each other whilst Everton host Wigan in the other quarter final matchup.

Wigan have been their usual confusing selves and Everton have had yet another impressive season under the smart leadership of David Moyes.

It is the Toffees, in fact, who are my dark horse for this year's FA Cup. Moyes has built a solid team on Merseyside and even they are drawn against either of the Manchester clubs in the next round I would still fancy them to advance to the final.

Moyes is a master tactician and, given the time, he is able to prepare his team to make life difficult for the best teams in the league. They are strong at home, too, and should be able to overcome Wigan on Saturday.

Everton have experience in this competition as well, advancing all the way to the finals in 2009 so that is playing in their favour, too.

Marouanne Fellaini is having his best season in England, Steven Pienaar continues to thrive in Moyes's system and whilst Nikicka Jelavic has been able to reproduce the form he showed last season he is still offers a dangerous threat up front.

Their back four is formidable and even with Phil Jagielka out they still have the powerful Sylvain Distin at centre back and Leighton Baines at left-back.

Moyes would like the semi-final draw to be kind to him but even if his team are set against one of the 'big guns' they would still be a dangerous opponent, no matter the circumstances.

Follow @JerryvanWav