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Ian Ridley at Daily Mail |
Fulham (1) 2 Everton (0) 2
A very nice, and expensive, part of London is Fulham but on this evidence, anyone contemplating a move there might worry about the crime rate.
For this was sheer theft.
Everton dominated the game but left the back door unlocked and allowed Fulham to pinch two goals against the run of play and an unmerited point.
Home goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer kept them in it, denying the mighty Marouane Fellaini a hat-trick, the Belgian's two goals coming after Bryan Ruiz's free-kick for Fulham had gone in off Tim Howard.
Steve Sidwell's last-gasp equaliser left David Moyes frowning and frustrated, even though the point, Everton's fourth in a row as part of seven games unbeaten, took his team into the top four.
'I can't believe we have only got a draw out of that,' said the Everton manager.'
'It was incredible.
Their goalkeeper has saved them and we were incredibly wasteful in front of goal.
Steven Gerrard had suggested, before backtracking, that Everton resembled Stoke, the Premier League's power team, after the Merseyside derby last weekend, and you saw what he meant as Fellaini bullied his way to a Route One second goal, but there was much variation to their play too.
'I thought we played some terrific football at times today,' added Moyes.
'We looked as sharp as any of the top teams but if we want to hang in with the big boys, we have got to win games like this.'
Fulham were a shadow of the bright side that has also started so well this season, having won three of their four previous home games.
Their early lead seemed only to breed complacency.
It came when Phil Neville clipped Dimitar Berbatov's ankle some 25 yards out and Ruiz stepped up to curl an excellent left-footed shot over the wall.
Goalkeeper Howard got two hands to it but could only push it on to the post, from where it rebounded off him into the net.
That was about that from Fulham in the first half as the combativity of Everton's centrals midfield of Phil Neville and Leon Osman put to shame the idling dilettante that was Ruiz.
The only surprise was that it took Everton until 10 minutes into the second half to score.
Seamus Coleman sent Kevin Mirallas away down the right and his cut-back was met firmly by Fellaini at the near post, the ball cannoning off Brede Hangeland into the net.
Fulham manger Martin Jol sent on Sidwell to stiffen Fulham's midfield but within minutes, Everton were ahead.
Phil Jagielka launched a long, high ball forward and Fellaini outmuscled Aaron Hughes before drilling home a low shot.
Fellaini, almost unplayable at times, should have had a hat-trick to secure the game, hitting a post and seeing a fierce volley turned aside by Schwarzer.
Then came Sidwell's late steal.
Sascha Riether crossed low from the right, Berbatov miskicked in front of goal and the substitute arrived at the far post to turn the ball home.
FULHAM: Schwarzer, Riether, Hughes, Hangerland, Riise (Dejagah 58), Duff, Diarra (Petric 75), Baird, Kacaniklic (Sidwell 67), Ruiz, Berbatov.
Subs not used: Stockdale, Senderos, Karagounis, Rodallega.
Goals: Howard (og) 7, Sidwell 90.
Booked: Riise, Diarra, Bair.
EVERTON: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines, Mirallas (Naismith 78), Osman, Neville, Pienaar, Fellaini, Jelavic (Distin 88).
Subs not used: Mucha, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Duffy.
Goals: Fellaini 55, 72.
Booked: Osman.
Referee: N Swarbrick.
Att: 25,699
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