Everton 1-3 Fulham: Cottagers end their five-game losing streak

Before kick-off at Goodison Park, Everton welcomed 84-year-old Derek Temple and 85-year-old Tony Kay onto the pitch – two men from when they won the 1963 title.

For context, it was 12 years before that when Everton were last relegated from the top flight in 1951 and after this defeat the ominous prospect of Everton going down for the first time in 72 years seems increasingly real.

This was a game Everton just had to win.

Instead, it was a joyful afternoon for Marco Silva, still serving a touchline ban, on his return to the club he was sacked from in 2019, as Fulham ended their five-game losing streak thanks to goals from Harrison Reed, Harry Wilson and Daniel. James.

It left the home side outside the relegation places alone on goal difference, with Leicester and Nottingham Forest among them both still yet to play.

The ball fell to Harry Wilson in the penalty area and he picked his spot against a static Everton defence

Sean Dyche, just one year after his sack from Burnley, made three changes as Everton lost at Old Trafford last weekend, with Vitali Mykolenko, James Garner and Neal Maupay all starting in a 4-4-2.

Seamus Coleman was out with an injury. Like Amadou Onana, Dyche was left with just one of his favored midfield three in Alexander Iwobi, while Abdoulaye Doucoure serves the second of his three match suspension.

Silva also made three changes with Kenny Tete, Wilson and James all starting for Fulham.

The pitch was packed under the spring sun and after a period of lull for the 34th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, it was Everton who sniffed a goal first, capitalizing on an error by Fulham as the visitors attempted to play from behind. However, Demarai Gray shot straight at Bernd Leno.

The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute on the other side. After a period of Fulham pressure in which Jordan Pickford was tested by Willian and Harry Wilson, it was former Liverpool player Wilson who cut in and hit the post with a beautiful strike past a sprawling Pickford from outside the box.

Fulham reacted quickest from the rebound and Harrison Reed calmly rounded into the bottom corner.

As his side struggled, Dyche switched from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1, with Gray going left and providing Iwobi some much needed extra body in the middle.

It was a change that worked wonders and Everton should have leveled, but Maupay headed straight for Leno from a few yards out and James Tarkowski skied over from the rebound.

The equalizing goal came shortly after when Joao Palhinha lost the ball and Garner found Dwight McNeil who took the ball with his back to goal and beautifully pushed past Leno.

With the Goodison crowd roaring, Everton missed another striking opportunity after McNeil and Maupay played a fine one-two but the latter failed to beat Leno as he was through on goal.

And they had to regret their missed opportunities when Fulham took the lead again shortly after the break.

Kenny Tete’s cross to the back post was caught beautifully by Willian, allowing Wilson to finish past Pickford.

Sean Dyche’s side have a much better record at home – they’ve only won once on the road

The points were sealed by Fulham with a long free kick and Daniel James rounded off calmly

And then off a long ball, James brilliantly brought the ball down with his right foot before going in with his left.

‘Going down’ the traveling Fulham fans jokingly chanted as the home supporters poured out of Goodison and poured into the pubs outside as their attention turned to Aintree, three miles away for the 175th Grand National, perhaps for some light rest.

Everton’s next two games here will see the visits from Newcastle and Man City before taking on Bournemouth on the final day.

The odds are undoubtedly against them.