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Shaky Everton hold on for three vital points

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Ben Godfrey of Everton is tackled by Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton at Craven Cottage on November 22, 2020 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Ben Godfrey of Everton is tackled by Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton at Craven Cottage on November 22, 2020 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Well it was a win and three points that I felt were crucial, but Everton were again far from convincing in the end and had to hold on for a win at Fulham this afternoon.

Everton went into this match on the back of a three-game losing streak that they had to stop and they did, holding on for a 3-2 win that lifts the Toffees one place up in the Premier League.

Carlo Ancelotti picked a team that included Alex Iwobi as a wing-back, with Ben Godfrey playing in a back three alongside Micheal Keane and Yerry Mina in the middle.

The Blues started well and were ahead in just under a minute as returning Brazilian forward Richarlison teed up Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the opening goal.

Everton were on top early on and playing pretty well but they didn’t press home their advantage properly and Fulham managed to get back into the game with an equaliser fifteen minutes into the game.

But the Toffees responded well with Iwobi and James Rodriguez involved and again the link up on the left provided the goal. Lucas Digne was on hand to deliver another good cross and Calvert-Lewin finished with aplomb for his brace.

Then Digne again provided the final ball for French midfielder Doucoure to rise to head home and Everton were in control and had a comfortable two goal lead.

They had deserved their lead going into halftime. But after the break things began to come apart again as the Blues didn’t turn up and Fulham responded well.

The Cottagers boss Scott Parker made several important substitutions and changed his wide players round, which made a big difference.

Ex-Everton foward Ademola Lookman was anyway having a good game and he proved a constant threat on the flank giving Digne plenty of trouble in particular.

Fulham were playing some excellent football, stroking the ball around well and making some incisive attacking moves.

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The Toffees were increasingly on the back foot defending desperately at times and looking very vulnerable. This is so often the case when Everton are trying to defend a lead and they lose the dynamism and energy that has brought them that lead in the first place.

Fulham then won a penalty but it was missed and the Blues breathed a sigh of relief. Just minutes later though the home side were back in the game as they scored a superbly crafted goal cutting through the Toffees defence with worrying ease.

Once again the Blues defenders contributed to their downfall this time it was Mina who’s intervention deflected the ball into the net.

Ancelotti then made a few changes bringing on Tom Davies and Gylfi Sigurdsson in place of his two South American attackers.

Neither offered much although Davies did put himself about. It also left Calvert-Lewin very isolated and further reinforced the negativity of the team’s play.

However, the Toffees managed to hold on for the three vital points and arrested the losing run that they had been on before the lastest international break. Not totally convincing for sure, but at least a win at last.