The Toffees booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory courtesy of Royston Drenthe's first-minute strike and Denis Stracqualursi's close-range finish five minutes later.

Their manager David Moyes guided the Merseyside outfit to the 2009 final but they were defeated at Wembley by Chelsea and Everton are yet to win a trophy during the Scot's 10-year tenure.

That is something Holloway, full of admiration for the job his counterpart has done, would love to see change this term.

"They are one of the teams who do not spend that much," Holloway said.

"Some of those players that he has got there who I haven't really heard of - like their wide leftie (Magaye Gueye) - were fantastic. Drenthe was fantastic. So well done to Moyesey.

"It was a bad day for us and a good day for Everton - well done to them, good luck and wouldn't it be nice if David actually won something? His teams are good enough and he loses his best players most of the time.

"I think this football club is one of the best around. It is a proper football club.

"I think with the way David conducts himself and looks after his players, he is a credit to football."

Moyes admits he is "desperate" for Everton - whose last major honour was the 1995 FA Cup - to claim some silverware, but is reluctant to speculate about their chances of doing so.

"You never know - you just have to see what comes along," he said.

"We are desperately trying to get to the final and win it, but everybody else is saying the same.

"From my first day here, I've always wanted to get to the finals of cup competitions."

The Toffees progressed into the last eight despite having a host of key players unavailable.

Drenthe, who is on a season-long loan at Everton from Real Madrid, was among those coming into the team and - as acknowledged by Holloway - the winger produced a stand-out performance.

Asked about the 24-year-old Dutchman, Moyes said: "I thought he played well and had one of his better games.

"Bits of his play were very good and he finished a good move with a great finish.

"I think he is learning and adapting. There is another side to the game over here - you have to do your work on the defensive side and he is getting better and beginning to understand it a little bit better.

"But really and truthfully, what you want is for him to get on the ball as often as he can out wide, near the front line, hoping that he creates or scores a goal. That's why you have him and that is why we brought him here.

"We have found the use of Royston better at home sometimes than away from home. But he is the sort of player where, if you are a supporter, you think 'good, I'm going to see a dribbler, someone who takes people on'.

"In years gone by, that is what people have enjoyed."