Match Report
Everton(0) 3-0 (0) Fulham
Premier League MD 07 1819 at Goodison Park
Saturday 29th September 2018 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Roger East (Wiltshire)
|
| Match Stats |
Everton |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(0) 3 |
0 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Sigurdsson 56 |
|
|
Tosun 66 |
|
|
Sigurdsson 89 |
|
| , |
| Goal attempts |
19 |
6 |
| On target |
6 |
0 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
32% |
0% |
| Possession |
51% |
49% |
| Passes |
389 |
389 |
| Passes Success |
82% |
81% |
| Crosses |
30 |
8 |
| Crosses Success |
20% |
12% |
| Corners |
12 |
1 |
| Tackles |
25 |
21 |
| Tackles Success |
72% |
62% |
| Saves |
0 |
3 |
| Fouls |
13 |
13 |
| Offsides |
6 |
0 |
| Yellows |
0 |
3 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
A £45m price tag has weighed heavily on Gylfi Sigurdsson and missing a penalty with the game goalless and the home crowd on edge could have been cue for fresh introspection.
His reaction was worthy of a club-record signing, two fine finishes helping his side to their most emphatic victory of the season.
Marco Silva needed that contribution with his forwards continuing to falter, although ultimately it was Slavisa Jokanovic with cause to lament poor finishing.
Fulham were the more threatening team before half-time.
Everton, easily opened and lacking creativity, were suffering for the third home game in succession. The roles reversed after the interval.
Cenk Tosun’s introduction for Dominic Calvert-Lewin improved the home team’s potency and he scored his first of the season as Everton finally kept a clean sheet.
But it was Sigurdsson who was instrumental in the overall improvement and but for floating his spot-kick against the Fulham crossbar would have had a hat-trick.
“He showed fantastic character and personality is important,” said Silva.
“He missed the penalty but within one or two minutes he was working hard.
Football was fair with him after he missed the penalty.
He works hard every day to produce good football.”
There was little evidence of that from Everton initially and Fulham, who lost Timothy Fosu-Mensah to a serious shoulder injury after only eight minutes, should have established a comfortable first-half advantage.
Andre Schürrle wastefully side-footed over from Ryan Sessegnon’s inviting pull-back and the 18-year-old smacked the bar from close range having been released behind a chaotic home defence by Jean Michaël Seri.
“We paid an expensive price,” admitted the Fulham manager.
“We showed some quality, we were brave with the ball and we created chances but it is going to be so hard for us if we are going to give away two goals.”
Silva is no ranter or raver but his half-time instructions worked to perfection. “I told them we had to be more aggressive and be more calm in our attacking play,” he said.
Sigurdsson’s penalty miss came after Calvert-Lewin was pushed over in the area by Denis Odoi.
Soon afterwards, with Tosun having replaced Calvert-Lewin, the Iceland international made amends in fine style.
Having released Jonjoe Kenny, down the right Sigurdsson regained possession when the cross was deflected into his path. The No 10 curled a precise left-foot finish into the far corner and Everton were on their way to a much-needed victory.
It could have been different when the hosts were caught on the counterattack from their own corner but Luciano Vietto’s poor touch from Schürrle’s ball enabled Jordan Pickford to save at his feet.
The Everton keeper, who signed a new six-year contract this week, pumped a fist in celebration and Goodison roared in recognition of a key moment.
Tosun doubled the home side’s lead when Kenny released Theo Walcott and the former Arsenal winger floated a perfect cross to the back post for the unmarked striker to head home.
Another incisive Everton move, this time when substitute Bernard was released down the left by Idrissa Gana Gueye, brought a third goal and a second for Sigurdsson in the final minute.
The Brazilian picked out the midfielder’s run into the area and Sigurdsson rolled a nonchalant finish beyond Bettinelli.
Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Keane, Zouma, Digne, Davies, Gueye, Walcott, Sigurdsson (Schneiderlin 90), Richarlison (Bernard 88), Calvert-Lewin (Tosun 55)
Unused substitutes: Stekelenburg, Holgate, Baines, Lookman
Goals:
Sigurdsson 56 (left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.)
Tosun 66 (header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Theo Walcott.)
Sigurdsson 89 (right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bernard.)
Fulham: Bettinelli, Fosu-Mensah (Christie 8), Odoi, Ream, Bryan, Vietto (Cairney 64), Anguissa, Seri (Ayite 84), R Sessegnon, Schürrle, Mitrovic
Unused substitutes: Rico, Le Marchand, McDonald, Johansen
Booked: Christie (29,f), Odoi (51,f), Mitrovic (53,d),
Referee:
Roger East (Wiltshire)
Attendance: 38,788