EVERTON 1-3 FULHAM

Fulham put in a near flawless performance to return to winning ways in style at Goodison Park.

The scores were level at the break after Dwight McNeil had cancelled out Harrison Reed’s opener, but the Whites took full control of proceedings after the restart.

Harry Wilson’s first league goal of the season gave us a deserved lead, before his international colleague Dan James gave us daylight with a lovely touch and finish.

It marked the perfect return to Goodison Park for Marco Silva, with Fulham winning for the first time since February.

Silva – seated in the stands while serving the final game of his touchline ban – opted for a change of tack up top, with the pace of James preferred to the power of Carlos Vinicius. Elsewhere, it was all change down the right flank, with Kenny Tete and Wilson given the nod ahead of Cédric Soares and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

After a lowkey, scrappy opening which yielded routine saves for Bernd Leno and Jordan Pickford from Demarai Gray and Willian, respectively, it was Fulham who created the best opening when Antonee Robinson’s delivery found its way through to Wilson on the other side. He took in on first time but sent his left footer too close to Pickford.

A smartly worked corner routine then saw Willian find Andreas Pereira unmarked on the edge of the box, but he volleyed a yard wide with his second touch after getting the ball under control.

That pressure soon told, though. Wilson was desperately unlucky to see his curling strike from 20 yards come back off the inside of the upright, and after a touch from James pushed the ball towards Reed, the midfielder was able to tuck home a neat finish beyond Pickford.

There was a hairy moment just after the half hour mark. After Leno had made a brilliant reaction stop to keep out Neal Maupay’s point-blank header, the ball fell kindly for James Tarkowski 10 yards out, but he could only lash wildly over.

That proved to just be a warning, as McNeil soon restored parity. João Palhinha was caught in possession 30 yards from goal, allowing James Garner to poke through to McNeil who evaded a challenge before guiding home a low shot from the edge of the box.

That gave the majority inside a Goodison a huge boost, and the home side should have gone in front five minutes before the break, but Leno made a terrific save to keep out Maupay from close range following a neat one-two in the box. The ball then threatened to spin for an open goal for someone, but Tim Ream was quick to smash clear the danger.

The second half was in its infancy when McNeil struck the post, albeit with a mishit cross, but Leno had his angles covered regardless.

Wilson had looked lively on his return to the starting XI, and duly went on to score his first Premier League goal for the Club, emphatically planting home his strike following a deft set by Willian from Tete’s hanging cross.

Every goal in this game seemed to shift the momentum, with Fulham now back in the ascendency as Andreas drew a strong hand from Pickford after he met Willian’s delivery, with Tosin then heading over from the subsequent corner.

Willian, Palhinha and Andreas then took it in turns to see shots blocked, as the Whites continued to turn the screw.

James had run himself into the ground up top on his own, and deservedly got his goal midway through the half. Beautifully plucking a high Tete free-kick to get beyond his man, the Welshman then coolly tucked a low shot beyond Pickford with his left foot. A fine goal.

The Toffees needed a quick response, and would have had it but for the agility of Leno, who got down quickly to push away Alex Iwobi’s angled effort.

Another Fulham goal would have put the game to bed once and for all, with James pulling a shot wide before substitute Saša Lukić stung the palms of Pickford.

James – who had been excellent – was then very unfortunate to see his effort, from the most acute of angles, roll practically along the entire length of the goalline.

A chunky amount of stoppage time was played but it was successfully seen out by the boys to secure a first ever Premier League win – in front of supporters – at this stadium.