Everton v Fulham Live Commentary & Result, 15/04/2023, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	28	5	5	94	33	+61	89	L D W W W
2	ARS Arsenal	38	26	6	6	88	43	+45	84	W L L W W
3	MUN Manchester United	38	23	6	9	58	43	+15	75	W W W W L
4	NEW Newcastle United	38	19	14	5	68	33	+35	71	D D W D L
5	LIV Liverpool	38	19	10	9	75	47	+28	67	D D W W W
6	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	18	8	12	72	53	+19	62	L D W L W
7	AVL Aston Villa	38	18	7	13	51	46	+5	61	W D W L L
8	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	6	14	70	63	+7	60	W L L W L
9	BRE Brentford	38	15	14	9	58	46	+12	59	W W W L W
10	FUL Fulham	38	15	7	16	55	53	+2	52	L D W W L
11	CRY Crystal Palace	38	11	12	15	40	49	-9	45	D D W L W
12	CHE Chelsea	38	11	11	16	38	47	-9	44	D L L D W
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	11	8	19	31	58	-27	41	L D L W L
14	WHU West Ham United	38	11	7	20	42	55	-13	40	L W L W L
15	BOU AFC Bournemouth	38	11	6	21	37	71	-34	39	L L L L W
16	NFO Nottingham Forest	38	9	11	18	38	68	-30	38	D W D W L
17	EVE Everton	38	8	12	18	34	57	-23	36	W D L W D
18	LEI Leicester City	38	9	7	22	51	68	-17	34	W D L L D
19	LEE Leeds United	38	7	10	21	48	78	-30	31	L L D L L
20	SOU Southampton	38	6	7	25	36	73	-37	25	D L L L L

That's all from us, we hope you enjoyed the game! Until next time, goodbye!

Three huge points reignites Fulham's push for a European place, though they're still very much an outside chance of securing one, trailing seventh-placed Brighton by seven points. Everton's situation is far worse though, and although they've not dropped further down the table, other results across the league could see them enter the bottom three before the end of this round of fixtures.

Harry Wilson's curling strike was the catalyst for Fulham's opening goal, and the Welsh international was in the right place at the right time to rifle home their second, too. He had four shots in total, with two of them on target, as well as winning five of his seven duels. He also won possession on eight occasions, including three times in the final third, and was fouled four times in total as Fulham continued to keep Everton penned deep inside their own territory.

The full-time whistle goes at a half-empty Goodison Park, with Fulham putting on a superb second-half showing to take all three points back to the capital. Everton finished the first half on top and started the second brightly, but Wilson's strike just six minutes into the second period appeared to be the straw that broke the camel's back. From then on, Fulham were in the ascendancy, with Pickford saving from Pereira and Tarkowski making several blocks. A third goal seemed inevitable though, and James latched onto a loose ball to fire it home for Fulham, securing the points and giving Everton no way back into the game. A first win in four for Fulham brings their losing streak to an abrupt halt, while Everton, themselves now winless in four, slip further into trouble at the bottom end of the table!

90' + 6' FULL-TIME: EVERTON 1-3 FULHAM.

B. Leno

Yellow Card

90' + 6' A second time-wasting related booking for Fulham, as Leno is shown the yellow card for his delay in taking a goal kick.

90' + 5' As Goodison Park empties, Tarkowski gets forward and heads a wide ball back across goal. Garner arrives on the volley, but sends the ball flying high and well over the top of the crossbar.

90' + 3' Fulham win a corner and are firmly in keep-ball mode, but Tarkowski and Mykolenko step in to win the ball, and look to send Everton forward on the break.

90' + 1' Just the SIX added minutes at Goodison, and that could just be enough time for Everton to snatch a late goal, and make the final moments very interesting indeed.

Carlos Vinícius

D. James

90' James comes off having been a complete nuisance from Everton's point of view. His goal looks to have sealed the points for Fulham, as Carlos Vinicius comes off for the last few moments of the game.

89' WIDE!!! Simms' ball in from the right is well brought down by Iwobi. Garner strikes the bouncing ball, and fizzes it inches wide of the post!

88' WIDE!!! De Cordova-Reid releases James to run in behind Patterson, and he surges onto the ball before flashing it across goal. Pickford leaves his near post free, but the ball rolls along the goal-line and wide of the back post! Any slight touch there would've certainly turned that goalwards!

86' SAVED!!! Davies loses the ball under pressure from James, and the ball drops kindly for Wilson. His half-volley strikes the back of Keane, and Lukic follows up to send another into the gloves of Pickford!

S. Lukić

H. Reed

85' Reed does come off after cramping up on the touchline, and Fulham's Janaury signing Sasa Lukic replaces the opening goalscorer late on.

83' Davies' clipped ball forward is met by Simms on the edge of the box, but he's under pressure from Ream and his header rolls through for Leno to collect.

T. Adarabioyo

Yellow Card

81' Adarabioyo takes an age to take the resultant free-kick, and is also shown a yellow card for time-wasting by the referee.

V. Mykolenko

Yellow Card

80' Mykolenko rashly flies in on Wilson and gets absolutely none of the ball, but does receive a yellow card from the referee and is rather lucky to do so.

T. Cairney

Andreas Pereira

79' Pereira also comes off, and Fulham's club captain Tom Cairney is in the number 10 role for the final few minutes.

B. De Cordova-Reid

Willian

79' Willian has been superb down the flanks for Fulham in this game, but comes off now for Bobby De Cordova-Reid to see it out.

78' WIDE!!! Patterson concedes a corner, which an under the cosh Everton do well to deal with. However, the ball is swung back into the box and drops for James, who snatches at a first-time shot and drags it wide of goal!

77' Reed injured himself sliding in to make that block, but is eventually back on his feet and play can continue.

75' SAVED!!! Patterson drifts inside from the right and squares for McNeil, but his effort is blocked by Reed sliding in with desperation. The loose ball drops to Garner, but his curling strike from 25 yards is collected confidently by Leno!

75' Iwobi whips in a cross from the right-hand touchline, with Keane's flicked header sailing straight into the arms of Leno.

E. Simms

N. Maupay

74' Maupay heads off for Everton with just over 15 to go at Goodison, and Ellis Simms, the man he replaced in the XI ahead of this game, enters the fray.

73' SAVED!!! McNeil chips a ball wide to Maupay in the box, who tees up Iwobi on the edge of it. He strikes the ball first-time, and his curling effort is pushed wide of the far post by a full-stretch Leno!

72' In his first Premier League start since November, on-loan Leeds Unitef forward James has rewarded Marco Silva by scoring his second goal of the season, and Fulham's third of this match.

D. Gray

Yellow Card

70' Tete skips away from Gray down the right, but is caught late from behind by the Everton winger, who concedes the free-kick and is promptly shown a yellow card.

T. Davies

I. Gueye

69' Gueye comes off in Everton's second change of this half, as Tom Davies comes on to see out the game in midfield.

D. James

Goal

68' GOOOOOAAAALLL!!! It's a third for Fulham!! A long free-kick finds James on the fly, and after his first touch ricochets off Keane, he uses the second to slot the ball into the far corner, beating Pickford for Fulham's third of the game! 3-1 to the visitors, and if this one-way traffic continues in the second half, there'll be no way back for Everton from here.

66' A siege of Fulham pressure is repelled well by the hosts, with cross after cross cleared in quick succession. Tete tries another to the near post, but Pickford plucks the ball out of the sky and Everton can finally get some possession of their own.

65' Willian drives forward and finds Robinson in acres of space outside him. The US international's cross looks a threatening one, but Gueye skews the ball behind for another Cottagers corner.

63' OVER!!! Patterson slips in the box, allowing Reed's cross from the right to find Willian. His drilled effort across the face is hacked half-clear by Mykolenko, but Pereira is straight onto the loose ball and fires a deflected effort over the bar!

62' BLOCKED!! Willian links up with Robinson to his left, whose cross misses everyone in the box before Wilson recovers it. He tees up Willian, but Tarkowski blocks his first-time effort, and then gets in the way of Palhinha's shot from the rebound!

60' Ream's long ball from the back is chased by a darting Reed, but Pickford races out of his goal to collect before running out of room and having to drop the ball outside the box!

N. Patterson

B. Godfrey

58' Godfrey heads off the field having suffered a concussion, and is replaced by Nathan Patterson, who could well provide a greater attacking threat from right-back than Godfrey, who is a natural central defender.

56' Pickford prepares a goal kick after Adarabioyo heads well over from a corner, but Godfrey has gone down holding his head, meaning play won't be restarted until the Toffees defender has received treatment.

55' SAVED!!!! Fulham win a corner which is played short to Willian. He spots Pereira in space and finds him on the edge of the box, and the playmaker's first-time effort curls through the crowd before Pickford parries it over and behind!

53' Everton have now conceded 10 times in the first 15 minutes of second halves in this season's Premier League, with only Southampton and Forest, both with 11, doing so more often.

Willian

Assist

51' Willian's awareness there to know a shot or header wasn't on, and instead look for a team-mate, was excellent, and Wilson was on hand to convert after hitting the post in the lead up to their first-half opener.

H. Wilson

Goal

51' GOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! The visitors re-take the lead!!! A Tete cross from the right finds Willian at the far post, who scoops the ball back into the centre of the box. It looks like anyone's to hit, but Wilson arrives first to side-foot the ball into the corner and send Fulham 2-1 up! Lead restored, and the Cottagers will aim to ensure that they can retain it from here.

49' OFF THE POST!!! McNeil takes on Robinson and crosses from the right. It's heading towards the goalmouth, and catches Leno off-guard before rattling the near post and bouncing away!

48' Willian cuts inside from the left and curls an effort goalwards, but sends the ball high and wide of Pickford's left-hand post.

46' WIDE!!! Gray's low cross towards Maupay isn't cleared properly by Adarabioyo, who recovers to block Mykolenko's first-time cross behind for a corner!

46' Maupay kicks the second half off for Everton, and we're back up and running on Merseyside!

The teams return to the pitch ahead of the second half, and with the first 45 minutes so evenly-matched, will either side be able to snatch the advantage and win all three points?

McNeil's well-taken strike had just 0.09 xG behind it, finding the very bottom of the bottom corner to lock the game up at 1-1. The former Burnley wideman also had a team-high 39 touches and passed 11 times in the final third, creating two chances in the process. Contesting eight duels in total, the winger was successul with two of three dribbles, and won possession six times with one of those coming in Fulham's own defensive third. Lively.

The first 45 minutes end level, having been a half of two halves at Goodison Park! Fulham started much the better team, with Willian and Wilson both testing Pickford inside the opening 20 minutes. The latter struck the post not long after, and Reed slotted home the rebound to give the Cottagers the lead. After this though, Everton grew into the game, and Leno made a close-range save from Maupay before being beaten by McNeil's excellent finish from the edge of the box. Maupay was again denied as half-time neared, and Gray also volleyed wide as Everton rounded off the first period firmly on top.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: EVERTON 1-1 FULHAM.

45' + 2' Gray steps between two defenders and ushers Iwobi to make an overlapping run to his left. This opens up space to shoot, and Gray smashes a curling effort which sails beyond the far post!

45' We'll play two additional minutes at the end of this neck-and-neck first half.

44' CHANCE!! Iwobi turns possession over in midfield and switches play to the right. McNeil's in-swinging delivery is a teasing one, but Gray can't time his near-post volley properly and skews the ball wide!

42' Everton play a corner short to Garner, who whips a cross into the box. Godfrey gets his head to it and glances a header wide of the mark, with Maupay unable to keep the ball in play.

40' SAVED!!! Leno denies Maupay once again!! The Frenchman plays a one-two with McNeil in the box, but hesitates to shoot upon receiving the return ball. Tete slides in to pressure him further, and Maupay's eventual shot is parried by the elbow of Leno!

39' Robinson hooks the ball back to Reed in space on the edge of the box, but he can't get a shot away and Mykolenko wins possession back for Everton.

37' McNeil's started every game since his former Burnley coach Sean Dyche came through the door at Everton, and his fourth Premier League goal of the season not only makes him the Toffees' top scorer in 2022-23, but also makes this his most successful goalscoring season.

J. Garner

Assist

35' Garner's pass into feet was turned to gold by McNeil, skilfully skipping beyond Reed before drilling home the equaliser.

D. McNeil

Goal

35' GOOOOOOAAAALLL!!! Everton equalise with a fantastic finish!! Gueye slides in to dispossess Palhinha in the heart of midfield, and Garner arrives to play the ball forward to McNeil. He turns away from Reed, and sends a low drive beyond Leno's reach and into the bottom corner!!! 1-1 at Goodison Park, and what a contest we have on our hands here!

34' Everton have won 10 points in their first five home Premier League games under Sean Dyche, more than they’d picked up in their previous 10 games at Goodison Park under his predecessor Frank Lampard.

32' WHAT A SAVE!!! McNeil's delivery is flicked on in the box by Tarkowski. Maupay arrives in the centre to head goalwards, but his effort's parried away by Leno and Tarkowski scythes the rebound over the bar! the best chance we've seen so far for the home side!

31' Maupay and Adarabioyo both go up for a high ball, but the striker is caught by a stray elbow from the visiting defender and wins a free-kick.

29' Wilson's delivery from the free-kick is aimed towards Palhinha at the far post, but Mykolenko gets a crucial touch to force the ball off Palhinha and behind for a goal kick.

I. Gueye

Yellow Card

27' Pereira looks to dribble into space outside the box, but he's clipped from behind by Gueye and loses a boot in the process, with the Toffees midfielder subsequently booked by the referee.

26' Tete hangs a high cross towards Willian on the left side of the box, and the Brazilian's volley is blocked by Godfrey before it can make any progress goalwards!

24' Everton have failed to win any of the last 13 Premier League matches in which they've conceded the opening goal, stretching back to October 2022 against Southampton.

D. James

Assist

22' James did superbly there to bring the ball back under Fulham control, and stretched to tee up Reed's instinctive finish.

H. Reed

Goal

22' GOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Fulham fire themselves into the lead!!! Reed finds Wilson with a cross-field pass, who cuts inside and curls a shot goalwards. The ball rattles Pickford's right post, but comes back out to James. He keeps the ball alive in the box, and Reed is on hand to finish off the move he started! 1-0 to Fulham, and Everton's defence was stretched beyond repair there!

21' Willian's corner is delivered straight to the unmarked Pereira on the edge of the box. He sets up to volley, but has to take a touch to control the ball, and his eventual strike bounces wide of the far post!

20' Pereira makes a clever run forward and Willian finds him on the under-lap. His cut-back from the byline is aimed towards James, but Tarkowski puts the ball behind for a corner!

19' SAVED!!! Robinson's low cross from the left isn't dealt with at all well by Tarkowski, whose lackadaisical flick falls to Wilson. He strikes the ball first-time, but can only send his low shot straight into Pickford!

18' James presses Mykolenko fiercly, and the left-back almost lobs his own goalkeeper with a long pass back from the sideline!

16' Wilson puts Garner's near-post free-kick behind for a corner, but the Toffees midfielder sees his delivery from that corner headed away by Ream.

14' The ball breaks for McNeil to deliver from the left, but Tete blocks his cross and the ball skews away from danger before the Everton winger is fouled by Wilson.

12' Everton are winless in their last nine Premier League matches against newly promoted sides, and last had a longer winless streak against promoted clubs in the league of 12, between August 1948 and May 1951. The last season in that run was 1950-51, which saw the club’s most recent relegation from the top-flight.

10' Wilson passes up a good opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box, but Willian has no such worry from the other side, sending a low, curling effort straight into Pickford's gloves.

8' Mykolenko clatters into Wilson and catches the Fulham winger with a high boot, but the referee's not showing any cards yet as he blows for a free-kick to the visitors.

6' Iwobi cuts inside and weaves through midfield before switching play to the left. Mykolenko arrives and drills a low cross first-time into the box, but Adarabioyo gets the crucial touch to send the ball clear.

5' SAVED!!! Gray dispossesses Palhinha and drives into the Fulham box, snatching at an early shot which Leno holds at his near post!

4' Everton have only lost two of their last 14 league games against Fulham, although one of those defeats came in their last home game against the Cottagers, in February 2021.

2' An early spell of Fulham possession culminates with a cross from James, but his floating ball finds no-one in the box. Tete recovers from the right-hand side, but Pickford collects with ease for the hosts.

1' Following a minute's silence in remembrance of the 97 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough Disaster 34 years ago, Pereira gets this game underway for Fulham.

The teams head out onto the Goodison Park pitch, and we're nearly ready to go as both sides chase a long-awaited victory!

The continued absence of talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic through suspension sees Fulham make changes in attack, with makeshift striker Daniel James taking the place of Carlos Vinicius. Kenny Tete and Harry Wilson are also in the XI, replacing Cedric Soares and Bobby De Cordova-Reid at right-back and on the left of midfield.

Sean Dyche makes three changes for Everton, with captain Seamus Coleman and midfielder Amadou Onana out of the matchday squad altogether through injury. In come Vitalli Mykolenko and James Garner at left-back and central midfield respectively, while Neal Maupay starts in place of Ellis Simms up front.

FULHAM SUBS: Marek Road, Shane Duffy, Tom Cairney, Manor Solomon, Cedric Soares, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Sasa Lukic, Carlos Vinicius, Issa Diop.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Harrison Reed, Joao Palhinha; Willian, Andreas Pereira, Harry Wilson; Daniel James.

EVERTON SUBS: Asmir Begovic, Nathan Patterson, Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina, Tom Davies, Conor Coady, Ellis Simms, Stanley Mills, Ishe Samuels-Smith.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Jordan Pickford; Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane, James Tarkowski, Vitalii Mykolenko; Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gueye, James Garner, Dwight McNeil; Demarai Gray, Neal Maupay.

10th placed Fulham have had a sensational first season back in the top flight, but have dropped from the lofty height of sixth in recent weeks and have lost four straight games, including to Everton’s relegation rivals Bournemouth and West Ham in their last two matches.

The Toffees sit just one rung above the drop zone on the Premier League ladder, and are only 17th by means of a superior goal difference to that of Nottingham Forest. Sean Dyche’s side are winless in a though three-game run, drawing with Chelsea and Spurs before a 2-0 loss to Manchester United last time out.

Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this fixture in the Premier League, as Everton take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Everton v Fulham Live Commentary, 15/04/2023

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