By Phil Maiden, BBC Sport

Benito Carbone scored Villa's winner against Everton in the FA Cup in 2000

Aston Villa's trip to Everton in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday will be the first time the two sides have met in the competition for nine years.

Villa were victorious in that quarter-final tie on 20 February 2000, winning 2-1 with goals from Steve Stone and Benito Carbone.

Although they went on to be beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in the final, after beating Bolton on penalties in the semi-final at Wembley, it was the closest they had come to winning the competition since 1957.

One of the players who took part in that Cup run was fans' favourite and Villa legend Ian Taylor.

The Birmingham-born midfielder is more qualified than most to understand what the FA Cup means to supporters of the Midlands club as he is a Villa fan himself.

"It's one of the biggest competitions there is and it was great almost winning it," he told BBC Sport.

"It was a great occasion but I probably remember the League Cup final in 1996 more."

Taylor's career was one that any fan or professional footballer would be happy with.

I wonder what Martin [O'Neill] is going to do with the team as we've got a lot of important games coming up Former Aston Villa midfielder Ian Taylor

He may not have completed the dream of picking up an FA Cup winners medal in Villa colours but scoring against Leeds in the League Cup final in 1996 was still a fantastic memory for him to treasure.

Taylor was a regular feature in the Villa side during the 1999/2000 Cup run but he almost missed the final due to injury.

"I did my hamstring in the semi [against Bolton]," he said. "I only just made it back for the final.

"It was a toss-up between me and Alan Thompson for the final. I got picked and I felt bad for him as he was in tears."

Taylor may not have vivid memories of Villa's quarter-final tie with Everton, having come on as a substitute, but he can recall several clashes between the two sides both as a player and a fan.

"Probably my biggest two memories against Everton, as a player, are the 1-0 win at Goodison Park eight months after that Cup game and the 3-2 defeat there the season after when Peter Schmeichel scored.

"The goal [in the 1-0 win] was Merson magic," he added. That had been a game hampered by the weather until Paul Merson produced a long-range chip just moments from the end.

"I remember Schmeichel's goal [the season after] because you're always going to remember a keeper scoring for your team!"

606: DEBATE Missing out on the Champions League would now feel disappointing but I think we should also aim for the FA Cup, it's been too long for a club of our stature not to win it! savo the arrogant villa fan

The year was 1977 and the two teams faced each other in the final, which would prove to be the longest in League Cup history at over 330 minutes of action.

Having drawn 0-0 in a forgettable game at Wembley on 12 March, a replay followed at Hillsborough six days later and despite Roger Kenyon's own goal handing Villa the lead the sides ended level again as Bob Latchford equalised for Everton in the last minute.

As penalty shootouts were not yet the norm in domestic football it meant the two sides had to go to an unprecedented second replay at Old Trafford on 13 April.

This time Villa clinched the trophy with a late goal from Brian Little, who had already scored, giving them a 3-2 win.

But Taylor remembers the other goal that was scored that evening: "Chris Nicholl scored into the top corner from almost 40 yards, I see him at Villa Park now sometimes and it gets further out every time he tells the story!"

Before 2000, Villa last met Everton in the FA Cup in the third round in 1978, a game in which the Toffees gained revenge for what had happened to them the previous season by winning 4-1.

The two sides have also met in the FA Cup final, in 1897, when Villa won 3-2 and set a record of being only the second team to win the double and the only team to have won the league and Cup on the same day.

Ian Taylor (right) and Chelsea's Mario Melchiot do battle in the 2000 FA Cup final

Out of 187 league games, Villa have won just one more than Everton and it is the same story in the League Cup and FA Cup with Villa having won one more in both.

Although the two clubs might not be next-door neighbours, Taylor thinks the rivalry has probably intensified in recent seasons.

"I think there is more rivalry now as the two teams have become closer together in recent years," he said. "But you look at the league table now and we've probably got the upper hand.

"I think both teams will want to win on the day with the games they've got, especially Villa," he added.

"But I wonder what Martin [O'Neill] is going to do with the team as we've got a lot of important games coming up.

"We've got CSKA Moscow in the Uefa Cup on Wednesday and then Chelsea on the Saturday before we play Moscow again the Thursday after.

"I do think you want to go out and win every game but the league is definitely the priority. But when you look at the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup it is hard to separate!

"I've thought for a long time if you keep winning the confidence stays. If you lose a couple it could affect your form.

"At the moment they think they can win every game so Villa will be going to Everton expecting another victory!"

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