Match Preview
Everton vs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 23 2021 at Goodison Park
Sunday 14th February 2021 KO: 19:00
Referee:
Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
Live on BT Sports
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Fulham face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday evening looking to escape the relegation zone after going 12 league matches without a win while Everton remain in contention for a place in the top six of the Premier League table.
Everton prevailed by a 3-2 scoreline in the reverse fixture on November 22, the result acting as the catalyst for Fulham to make improvements in defence.
However, despite eight draws and four clean sheets being recorded since that game, Scott Parker knows that only victories will give the Cottagers a chance of avoiding relegation.
There were positives to take from earning a share of the spoils against West Ham United last weekend, even if Fulham have now failed to win any of their last eight home matches.
With Parker's side registering four draws in succession on the road, they can at least head into this encounter in the knowledge that they are capable of producing performances on their travels.
Goals remain an issue with just four strikes coming in seven league games since the beginning of the year.
Carlo Ancelotti will not want Everton to develop a habit of conceding seven goals in two matches, particularly against rivals such as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Nevertheless, the Italian can only be left encouraged by the two comeback results which have kept the club in contention for the Champions League and secured further progress in the FA Cup.
If the Toffees are able to win their games in hand in the Premier League, they will move three points clear of neighbours Liverpool in the standings, a scenario deemed unthinkable a matter of months ago.
With just eight points coming from six top-flight fixtures, Ancelotti will have more concerns about consistency than complacency during the closing months of the campaign.
That said, his players have shown on frequent occasions this season that they have the tools to trouble any club in the division, keeping the pressure on teams who will feel that they can ill-afford to miss out on European qualification.
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Everton have won 22 consecutive top-flight matches against Fulham at Goodison Park - the longest home winning run in top-flight history.
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A Fulham draw or defeat would ensure they equal the Football League record of 28 successive winless matches away to a particular opponent. The Cottagers have drawn four and lost 23 of their previous league trips to Everton in all divisions.
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Fulham's only victories at Goodison Park both came in the FA Cup - one of them being on Valentine's Day in 1948.
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Fulham are on a club record-equalling run of 12 Premier League matches without a win, with eight draws and four defeats.
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Scott Parker's side are unbeaten in four away fixtures, drawing all of them.
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They have won just one of their past 34 matches against the six ever-present Premier League sides, losing 30 times.
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Excluding own goals, Fulham have had a league-low seven different scorers.
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Scott Parker's first points as Fulham boss came in a 2-0 home win over Everton in April 2019.
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Ademola Lookman has been involved in six league goals this term, with three goals and three assists. Lookman scored one goal in 36 Premier League appearances for Everton between 2017-19.
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Everton's tally of 37 points is their third highest after 21 matches of a Premier League campaign.
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They are winless in three home league matches, drawing once and losing twice.
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Manager Carlo Ancelotti could fail to win in four home league games for the first time since December 2007.
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Only four of the Toffees' 11 league victories have come at Goodison Park.
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They have won just one of their past six home league games against promoted sides, drawing once and losing four.
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Ancelotti is unbeaten against Fulham as a Premier League manager, winning four and drawing once.
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Seven of James Rodriguez's eight league goal involvements have been in home games.