Fulham 0 Everton 0
Fulham welcomed Everton to Craven Cottage looking to complete a league double over The Toffees for the first time in the Premier League. The Cottagers had won one-nil at Goodison Park earlier in the season and could really do with the points.
That said, Everton are in an even more precarious position with Luton Town breathing down their necks. With another FFP charge looming, staying in the Premier League is starting to look like a mammoth task for the Merseyside outfit.
Sean Dyche was celebrating his one year anniversary as The Toffees’ manager yet it seemed like a lot longer. To be fair, he probably felt a much younger man back then with all the stresses that have come with being Everton manager.
Fulham started on the front foot and as a free kick was lifted into the box, Palhinha headed over when he really should have been working the keeper at the very least. Goals have been like buses for the West London outfit this season, scarcity or gluttony.
Credit: @Everton
Ashley Young, which is somewhat of an ironic name now, with the player being about 100 years old. It was his free kick that forced a save out of Leno, Everton were first to the rebound but it deflected off Diop and onto the crossbar.
As it came down it seemed to hit the hand of Robinson and head towards goal but the defender managed to hack it clear before it had crossed the line. Goal line technology is about the only video technology we can genuinely trust nowadays.
The replay showed it was inches away from being an Everton goal. Sean Dyche could feel himself ageing like a reverse Benjamin Button on the touchline. Being the manager of The Toffees at the moment should come with a health warning.
Marco Silva’s side really should have taken the lead just before the interval. Wilson shot from the edge of the box and it was somehow cleared off the line by Tarkowski. It came to Jimenez, who looked to drill it into the far corner but his effort just curled away from goal.
Witnessing a Calvert-Lewin goal is like seeing a UFO nowadays. Not many people will believe you and feel you are just looking for attention when regaling the incident to friends. He rose at the back post to meet a corner but could not keep his header down as it clipped the top of the crossbar.
As the hosts came forward, Pereira found Muniz whose shot deflected and had Pickford beaten. Sadly for the Fulham striker it also went wide of the goal and The Cottagers were starting to wonder what they had to do to score.
Credit: @Everton
From the resulting corner, De Cordova-Reid headed the ball and was then flicked on by Castagne. With both Danjuma and Pickford just spectators, the ball once again was kept out of the goal via the woodwork, much to the relief of the Everton keeper.
Willian twisted and turned out wide before picking out Tosin in the box. His header seemed destined for the goal before Pickford made an amazing one-handed save to turn it over the crossbar. By this stage, Fulham must have felt like they would never score.
Robinson then got down the left wing and crossed to find De Cordova-Reid, who struck the ball first time. With the Everton keeper scrambling across his goal to try and get to it, the ball missed the far post by the narrowest of margins.
In the final moments of added time, Everton managed to force a corner. As the ball came into the box it was flicked on and came to Beto, four yards out with a free header. Unbelievably, he headed over the bar when it should have been the winning goal for the visitors.
The points were shared and come the end of the season, Everton may look back on that Beto header if it proves costly to their Premier League status. Marco Silva will be wondering how his team had not put the game to bed well before then.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.