Saha made his Everton debut on 22 September coming on as a substitute in a league game away to Hull City, before scoring his first goal, against his former club Fulham, at Goodison Park on 1 November. This was followed up by scoring a brace, as well as, setting up the club's first goal of the game, in a 3–1 win against West Ham United. However during a 1–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on 30 November 2008, he suffered a knee injury and was substituted in the 60th minute. Following this, it was announced that Saha would be out for two months. It wasn't until on 22 February 2009 when Saha returned to the first team, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute, in a 0–0 draw against Newcastle United. This was followed up by scoring his fourth league goal of the season, in a 2–0 win against West Bromwich Albion. A week later on 8 March 2009, he came off the bench at half-time in that season's FA Cup quarter-final against Middlesbrough, scoring the winner and helping Everton reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1995. Two months later on 16 May 2009 against West Ham United, Saha scored twice for the second time this season, as the club won 3–1. Two weeks later in the FA Cup final, Saha scored the fastest goal in the final's history after 25 seconds, though opponents Chelsea came from behind to win 2–1. This broke Bob Chatt's record, set 114 years earlier in the 1895 Final. It was also the fastest goal in any match at the new Wembley Stadium, beating the previous record by Gianpaolo Pazzini in March 2007 in an under-21 international for Italy. Throughout the 2008–09 season, he established himself in the starting 11, forming a striking partnership with Yakubu. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Saha went on to make 29 appearances and scoring eight times in all competitions.