Josh Maja marked his first start for Fulham with a brace as the Cottagers boosted their Premier League survival hopes with a deserved victory at Everton.
The visitors were by far the better side in the first half but were left frustrated as they missed several opportunities to score, with Bobby Decordova-Reid hitting the post and Harrison Reed driving over.
But their dominance was rewarded early in the second half when Maja – a deadline day signing on loan from Bordeaux – slid in to turn home Ola Aina’s cross from close range.
Maja then capped a dream full debut with a second, tapping in after Decordova-Reid’s shot had hit the woodwork.
Everton were poor throughout and although Seamus Coleman clipped the outside of the post in the first half, they rarely looked like scoring.
Joshua King did have the ball in the back of the net late on but it was ruled out for offside.
There is still plenty of work to do for Fulham to escape the drop, with this victory cutting the deficit to safety to seven points, but it will significantly boost their hopes they they can fight their way out of trouble.
Defeat for Everton, meanwhile, means they remain seventh on 37 points.
Maja provides spark Fulham have missed
This was a much-needed win for a Fulham side that has often been competitive in games this season but a failure to convert chances into goals has meant they have rarely got the rewards their performances have warranted.
They had 20 shots on goal at West Ham last time out but only two of those were on target as they had to settle for a frustrating draw, and it looked like that pattern would continue in this game as they squandered numerous chances in the first half.
But with Aleksandar Mitrovic having struggled for goals this season, Fulham have missed a clinical striker who can finish off the many chances they create – but this performances suggests Maja could be that man.
Neither of the former Sunderland striker’s goals were fantastic strikes but crucially he was in the right place at the right time to put the ball in the back of the net.
Maja’s impact and this result could provide the spark Fulham have needed to haul themselves out of the relegation zone.
Toffees come unstuck at home again
Everton are enjoying one of their best Premier League seasons, having taken 37 from 22 games to sit seventh and just three points off the top four.
Despite that, performances like this one highlight a frustrating issue the Toffees appear to have on home soil.
Only four of their 11 league victories have come at Goodison Park, where they have not won in the Premier League since 19 December, and this was another flat performance by Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
This was a far cry from their scintillating display in the 5-4 FA Cup fifth-round win against Tottenham in midweek as they sorely missed Dominic Calvert-Lewin in attack.
They did not manage a single shot on target in the first half and only two in the second half, but both of those efforts – from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Michael Keane respectively – came when they were already 2-0 down.
This was a real opportunity for Everton to underline their credentials as top-four contenders but they came up disappointingly short.
What next?
Everton host Premier League leaders Manchester City on Wednesday (20:15 GMT) while Fulham travel to Burnley earlier the same day (18:00).
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Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
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Everton
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Squad number33Player nameOlsen
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Squad number23Player nameColeman
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
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Squad number4Player nameHolgate
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Squad number12Player nameDigne
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Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
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Squad number26Player nameDavies
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Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes
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Squad number19Player nameRodrÃguez
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Squad number10Player nameG Sigurdsson
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Squad number7Player nameRicharlison
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Squad number5Player nameKeane
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Squad number11Player nameKing
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Squad number20Player nameBernard
Fulham
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Squad number1Player nameAreola
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Squad number2Player nameTete
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Squad number5Player nameAndersen
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Squad number16Player nameTosin
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Squad number34Player nameAina
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Squad number15Player nameLoftus-Cheek
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Squad number21Player nameReed
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Squad number18Player nameLemina
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Squad number19Player nameLookman
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Squad number27Player nameMaja
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Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
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Squad number17Player nameCavaleiro
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Squad number25Player nameOnomah
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Squad number29Player nameZambo Anguissa
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-3-3
- 33Olsen
- 23ColemanSubstituted forKeaneat 56′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 22Godfrey
- 4Holgate
- 12Digne
- 16Doucouré
- 26DaviesSubstituted forKingat 56′minutes
- 21André Gomes
- 19RodrÃguezSubstituted forBernardat 68′minutes
- 10G Sigurdsson
- 7Richarlison
Substitutes
- 5Keane
- 6Allan
- 11King
- 13Mina
- 17Iwobi
- 18Nkounkou
- 20Bernard
- 31Neves VirgÃnia
- 62Onyango
Fulham
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Areola
- 2Tete
- 5Andersen
- 16Tosin
- 34Aina
- 15Loftus-Cheek
- 21Reed
- 18LeminaSubstituted forOnomahat 90+1′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 19LookmanSubstituted forZambo Anguissaat 83′minutes
- 27MajaSubstituted forCavaleiroat 73′minutes
- 14De Cordova-Reid
Substitutes
- 3Hector
- 4Odoi
- 12Rodák
- 13Ream
- 17Cavaleiro
- 25Onomah
- 29Zambo Anguissa
- 30Kongolo
- 33Robinson
Live Text
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Match ends, Everton 0, Fulham 2.
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Second Half ends, Everton 0, Fulham 2.
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Josh Onomah (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.
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Michael Keane (Everton) is shown the yellow card.
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Alphonse Areola (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Michael Keane (Everton).
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Foul by Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham).
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Bernard (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt blocked. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bernard with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Ben Godfrey (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Tosin Adarabioyo.
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Foul by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham).
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Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Fulham. Josh Onomah replaces Mario Lemina.
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Attempt saved. Michael Keane (Everton) with an attempt from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mason Holgate with a cross.
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Foul by Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham).
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Lucas Digne (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Fulham. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa replaces Ademola Lookman.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ola Aina.
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Foul by Kenny Tete (Fulham).
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