Saviola (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Everton were looking to make it three Europa League wins from three away from home at the Stadium of Light, but it was Benfica who seized the initiative from the off and rarely relinquished it in a terrific attacking display.

Just as an Everton team including debutant Seamus Coleman and midfielder Dan Gosling in defence seemed to settle, Angel Di Maria’s cross flew to former Barcelona star Javier Saviola at the far post, where he volleyed home with aplomb.

Thereafter Everton set about rebuilding and enjoyed some spells of sustained possession, but it was Benfica who looked the greater threat, with the Argentine duo of Di Maria and Saviola full of inventive trickery.

Luisao and Ramires headed wide either side of Saviola’s strike, and just before the half-time whistle Saviola was inches from connecting with Cardozo’s cross, as Benfica’s rapier thrusts sliced through the Toffees like butter.

Bilyaletdinov was by far Everton’s most prominent attacking threat, twice stepping past his marker to launch long range efforts and playing a ball in from the left that Osman fired just over.  However, David Moyes would have been relieved that his threadbare defence, missing four first-choice players, did not concede again before the break.

However, the game was over just after half-time, Oscar Cardozo catching Everton cold with two goals in two minutes to shatter any hopes of a revival.  First he thumped Saviola’s centre gleefully into an unguarded net, then ran onto Di Maria’s delicate chip to nod past Howard from three yards out.

A miserable evening for the 5,000 Everton fans became a rout, as Aimar lifted in a corner and defender Luisao made no mistake with a thumping far-post header on the run to send Benfica 4-0 up.  It could have been five before the hour mark, as the irrepressible Di Maria rattled the bar from distance.

When Moyes threw on his only recognisable substitute, Louis Saha replacing Bilyaletdinov, it seemed as if he was sparing his best player on the night further humiliation more than expecting a three-pronged attack to take the fight to the rampant hosts.

Saha did manage a volley onto the post, but a punch-drunk Everton took more punishment as the dazzling Di Maria fed Saviola for a fifth, before going close himself.   In the end it was just the five for the Eagles, but it could easily have been more on a night that Everton will want to forget in a hurry.