It is the autumn of 2002 and Everton are enduring a pretty horrendous start to their Premier League campaign, winning only three of their opening nine.
Just six months into his tenure David Moyes’ job is already in doubt. There are whispers.
Worse yet, sod’s law dictates that their next fixture is at home to Arsenal. Formidable Arsenal. Brilliant Arsenal. Packed with celestial stars such as Bergkamp and Henry, the Gunners easily won the title last May and are now on course to smash all manner of records. They last lost in the league ten months ago.
Nobody gives the Toffees a chance here, least of all the football betting that deems a home win impossible and a draw exceedingly unlikely, and just eight minutes in Freddie Ljungberg duly puts the visitors ahead, capitalising on some poor defending.
Muted celebrations from Arsene Wenger’s players tells a sorry tale. For them it’s just another day in the office. For Everton it’s a worsening of a crisis.
Worse yet, it’s a sustained crisis because in the last six seasons, the Toffees have finished a defeat or two away from relegation on each occasion. This is a pretty bad time to be an Evertonian.
If the present is bleak however, the future looks bright in the form of a 16-year-old wonderkid residing on the bench. Everyone has heard about him. Everybody has heard the stories, about this phenomenal young talent single-handedly propelling the Toffees to a Youth Cup Final and showing ample enough promise to be a bona fide superstar one day.
To his immense credit, Moyes had used his supernaturally gifted schoolboy sparingly to this point. Which is why he’s on the bench.
Besides, what is Wayne Rooney supposed to do? Come on and score a spectacular last-minute winner against the imperious Arsenal? This is Merseyside on a cold October afternoon, not Hollywood. Get real.
Halfway through the first period, Tomasz Radzinski at least makes this ridiculous scenario slightly feasible with an equaliser. The Gladys Street faithful nearly take the roof off.
Fast forward to the 90th minute and Rooney is on, making only his third cameo appearance in blue.
The ball is lofted forward by Thomas Gravesen but, to be clear, there are no designs on carving out a dramatic winner. The Dane wants the ball as far away from his own goal as possible.
A draw will represent an upturn in fortunes for the struggling Toffees. Already they have upended the betting.
Only the ball is plucked from the sky by their wonderkid, control it has to be said that greatly impresses, and a swift spin leaves his marker in no-man’s land.
At this exact moment in time history is about to be made. A few unforgettable seconds that will forever have its own section on the Premier League’s Bayeux Tapestry.
Because from fully 30 yards out, the boy with ability few men possess curls in an absolute beauty, past the flailing arms of England international David Seaman.
And the world is never quite the same again.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
