Fulham vs Everton – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates
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Here was a game that Frank Lampard would have absolutely loved the player. Lots of energy, plenty of space in midfield and an avalanche of opportunities to shoot, as he so often did with great success, from the edge of the penalty area.
However, for Frank Lampard, the manager, this was painful. He walked back and forth, arms crossed, a worried look etched on his face.
But while he will have complaints – no less significant than a dangerous challenge to the ankle from Idrissa Gueye in the first half that only resulted in Aleksandar Mitrovic getting a yellow card – this can be labeled a success.
Jordan Pickford was brilliant in goal, as were Conor Coady and James Tarkowski before him. All three, especially Tarkowski and Coady, who are out of chances to beat the England squad for Qatar, will have given Steve Holland, Gareth Southgate’s assistant who was here to watch, plenty to think about.
Liverpool, Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Aston Villa all failed to knock out Fulham in their first six games at Craven Cottage. How Everton fared, with Fulham collecting 23 shots on target, is a tribute to the determination Lampard instilled in this group.
No team in the league has received more shots this season than Everton. They’ve had the practice and sometimes they’ve had their luck too.
Having lost 16 of their last 23 Premier League away games, this is a building block for this defence, as good as they were, the attack didn’t last their end of the bargain.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin thought he had scored the winner midway through the second half when he went one-on-one to hit Alex Iwobi’s ball on the left. He poked Bernd Leno’s legs, then ran around tapping him inside. The offside flag went up. Correct call. Calvert-Lewin just looked at the sky and trudged his way back onto the field.
And much of the night went like this for Everton, few chances but the chances they had were good enough to score. They just have to take one if they want to get to places like Fulham and leave with a win.
Fulham boss Marco Silva, who faces Everton for the first time since they sacked him in 2019, made two changes from the win in Leeds, with Neeskens Kebano and Issa Diop returning to the line-up. Harry Wilson and Tosin Adarabioyo fell on the couch.
For Lampard, he patted and mentioned an unaltered side of the one Crystal Palace sent.
Three minutes into Calvert-Lewin, who scored his first goal since May last week, was gone, firing past Tim Ream to get Iwobi’s through ball. He turned Ream inside out, set him down in the area, only for his cut to eventually be prodded away from danger.
From there, Fulham came alive – showing exactly why they have scored in all six of their home games so far.
First, Willian was the culprit, sending a free header six yards wide of Jordan Pickford’s goal. Silva couldn’t believe it on the sidelines. Neither did Willian, with a look of utter disbelief.
It was just the start of an attack on Pickford’s goal. Holland would have enough to take Gareth Southgate back.
In the span of three minutes, Pickford made three alien fingertip saves to negate Willian, Mitrovic and Harrison Reed. A nod of approval came from the Netherlands, sat behind Everton’s directors.
Lampard rarely seemed to smile as he stood in his tech room with arms crossed.
But Everton improved from Pickford’s three-minute masterclass and should have continued as Demarai Gray broke away on the left flank before flashing a cross over the six-yard box.
Calvert-Lewin was there and failing that, Gordon was on the back post. Calvert-Lewin got an insignificant touch and the opportunity was turned down. Lampard looked annoyed. Silva clambered under his chair to his notepad. More scribbles for the halftime chat.
Halfway through the half, the main topic of conversation came when Mitrovic hurt Idrissa Gueye’s ankle.
The Everton midfielder had cleverly spun the attacker and a swiping Mitrovic missed the ball, but got a lot of man. It was right in front of referee John Brookes and the yellow card was almost instant. Lampard was absolutely furious—and rightly so.
Then, 11 minutes later, trust Mitrovic to claim a penalty after a push from Amadou Onana. Brookes wasn’t interested and neither was the VAR.
A frenetic first half brought chance after chance as fans tried their best not to take their eyes off for a second for fear of missing out.
James Tarkowski should have scored with a free header from seven meters away, only to aim directly at Bernd Leno. Gray and Gordon were also both guilty of lack of composure as they danced their way into the area before the halftime whistle sounded.
More opportunities would follow in part two of this epic show, starring Willian. Thirty-three shots was the final result between the two sides. How it ended 0-0 is a mystery.
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