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There remains a gulf between Fulham and the Premier League safety, but Scott Parker’s team will feel like nothing is beyond them after recording a historic win at Everton.
Fulham had never won a league game at Goodison Park, not a point here since 1959, but two goals from rookie Josh Maja injected faith and three vital points in their fight for survival. Parker should expect this to represent a turning point in Fulham’s season, and not just for their first win in 13 Premier League games.
His team dominated throughout, played with style and determination, and never gave Everton hope of a victory that would have tied them on points with Liverpool in fourth place. It’s three losses in four league games at home now for an Everton side that falls in attitude and application whenever expectations are expected.
The longest winning race in top flight history, a 22-game sequence dating back to 1961, was comfortably dismantled.
“We were fantastic from start to finish,” Parker said. “It is well documented that we have missed great opportunities this season, but the constant belief that I have when I analyze our performances comes from the great opportunities we are creating. We just haven’t been clinical enough. Tonight we were and it was nothing less than what we deserved. This is big.”
Fulham was in control from the opening whistle and despite all the flaws in Everton’s performance, and there were many, it was their relentless pressure that made life difficult for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. “We couldn’t handle the difficulties,” Ancelotti said after his 50th game as Everton coach. “It was a high intensity game and we were tired after playing for two hours on Wednesday and we didn’t take care of the pressure they put on our central halves.”
Parker’s attack options took another hit before kickoff when Aleksandar Mitrovic tested positive for Covid-19. Maja, currently on loan from Bordeaux, made his first start in place of the Serbian international with Bobby Decordova-Reid floating to menacing effect behind him. His pace of work and movement more than made up for Mitrovic’s absence. Everton remained on the defensive throughout the first half thanks to Fulham’s energy and sharp, incisive passing.
The visitors should have been ahead when Decordova-Reid hit Ademola Lookman’s corner at the near post. His back heel hit the far post with Robin Olsen rooted, but both Ola Aina and Joachim Andersen failed to convert attractive rebounds. Harrison Reed stood out in Fulham’s midfield, closing options for Everton’s attack and supporting their forwards, and approached from the edge of the area after more good work from Decordova-Reid and Lookman.
The former Everton winger was the next to threaten his former club after a skillful exchange of passes with Decordova-Reid. Lookman cut inside Séamus Coleman and Ben Godfrey, but dragged his shot off the near post.
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At this point, Everton had failed to score a goal attempt from Fulham. Perhaps influenced by the success of a similar system at the Wolves, Ancelotti opted to start with Gylfi Sigurdsson in attack in the absence of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Richarlison offered the promise of pace from the left, James Rodriguez’s wit from the right, but it was an odd pick with the Josh King signing available and Everton needing fresh legs after their FA Cup efforts against Tottenham on Wednesday.
All three were anonymous and it came as no surprise when Richarlison was traded to center forward shortly before halftime.
Coleman hit a post with Everton’s first genuine threat, but it was a fleeting moment of promise from the home side.
Fulham took a well-deserved lead moments after the restart when Aina and Lookman opened Everton’s right flank with ease. The left-back edged out Abdoulaye Doucouré, not an easy feat, before playing a double with Lookman that took Coleman out of the equation. From the starting line, Aina drilled her cross behind Godfrey and Mason Holgate to give Maja a gift of a Fulham first goal from close range.
The Nigeria international didn’t have to wait long for his second goal for Fulham. He came back from his left flank, Lookman weighing his options before picking Reed unmarked in the middle. The midfielder swept a powerful shot from 25 meters that the Everton goalkeeper flipped off a post, but the rebound fell seamlessly for Maja to score from an unguarded net.
“We are a safe team,” added Parker. “And the games we have now are huge.”
