Although Fulham's season has been pretty mediocre on the whole, they have played well at home: Fulham Home Wins vs: Bolton Wanderers Tottenham Hotspur Charlton Athletic Liverpool Leeds United Middlesbrough Aston Villa West Bromwich Albion Sunderland Newcastle United Fulham Home Draws vs: Chelsea Manchester United Southampton Fulham Home Losses vs: West Ham United Birmingham City Manchester City Arsenal Blackburn Rovers
Everton can't afford to overlook Fulham, especially with Rovers trailing right behind with two winnable matches. This is three points we have to have if we expect to be in Europe next season. C'mon you Toffees, take care of business early!
Pembridge takes an inswinging corner kick, but its cleared by Lee Clark. Alan Stubbs with a nice shot on goal from the right side. Kevin Campbell's run is offsides.
A series of throw-ins from everton. First Hibbert, then Gravesen. Rooney is fouled, resulting in the free kick, but not in a dangerous area. Everton are leading in possession with 54%. 26 min.
BTW, here's the lineup GK Wright D Hibbert D Stubbs D Unsworth D Yobo M Carlsley M Gemmill M Gravesen M Pembridge F Rooney F Campbell Gravesen just wasted a corner kick. Mark Pembridge just crossed, but it went over the line.
Sean Davis free kick is cleared. Another Fulham cross is cleared by Pembridge. Richard Wright with a goal kick. 32 min.
David Unsworth crosses the ball out of play, goal kick for Maik Taylor. This is definitely not a flowing game. Neither team has been able to construct much. I'd look for Everton to come out as a totally different team in the second half. The Fulham lineup: GK Maik Taylor D Goma D Harley D Melville M Clark M Davis M Finnan M Legwinski M Melbranque F Boa Morte F Hammond OH dear! An Everton own goal on a Stubbs back pass.
35 min. Kevin Campbell with a good shot from the right side of the penalty area. Mark Pembridge's inswinging corner is gathered by Taylor. Joseph Yobo blocks a shot. Sean Davis' cross out for a Wright goal kick. Mark Pembridge free kick goes over the bar. 39 min.
Everton: Shots (on goal) 4(2) Fouls 7 Corner kicks 4 Offsides 1 Fulham: Shots (on goal) 3(2) Fouls 8 Corner kicks 2 Offsides 0 Possession split at 50%. Oh this is a nightmare! Another own goal. This time Richard Wright fumbles a shot into his goal!
It was Steed Melbranque's shot I believe. Mark Pembridge and Kevin Campbell both with shots over the bar. Hibbert with a throw in. Almost halftime. Everton lost it. Fulham throw from John Harley. Halftime.
Halftime. Sounds to me like Everton had a pretty awful half. Neither team had a good one, but Fulham have been absolutely gifted with a two goal lead. I would suspect Moyes is going to play three or four forwards during some point in this half, because this is an important game. I am not watching the game, so I did not see the two own goals but they sound pretty awful. The first one I believe was a Stubbs backpass. The second one, a save from Richard Wright, then fumbled into his own net.
[R] at halftime 2-0 down to Fulham at halftime. Both goals were Everton own goals. Stubbs o.g. (33) Wright o.g. (43)
Hammond offsides. Campbell takes a foul for a free kick. Nothing comes of it. Richard Wright with a long goal kick. 51 min.
Hammond takes a good shot but is misses. Richard Wright goal kick. Rooney fouls a fulham player. Melville to take the resulting free kick. Tony Hibbert receives a yellow for unsporting behavior. 53 min.
John Harley fouls in Everton's half. Richard Wright takes the kick. Sean Davis with an inswinging corner. BTW, Duncan Ferguson has come on at halftime.
Boa Morte's shot just wide. Everton goal kick. Hibbert clears a Fulham cross. Everton don't seem to be doing much after a bright start to the half. David Unsworth crosses to Ferguson who weakly heads it at Maik Taylor. 59 min.
Glad to see someone else up. Everton clears the Fulham cross. Lee Clark's shot goes wide. Goal kick to Everton. Pembridge's inswinging corner is cleared. 62 min.
Duncan Ferguson fouls a Fulham player. David Moyes does not have the option of Radz because he's still injured. Everton subs. Pistone on for Pembridge. Watson on for Hibbert.