Nuhiu the answer to Monk’s prayers with late equaliser
GARRY MONK’S hopes of making it a winning habit as Wednesday boss were dashed – but Atdhe Nuhiu spared him a first defeat.
Monk marked his first game in charge with a
2-0 victory at Huddersfield a week ago. But he looked destined to be a loser in his first home match as boss until substitute Nuhiu nodded in a stoppage-time leveller to counter Fulham skipper Tom Cairney’s strike.
Monk now faces a big week. First, Premier League Everton are the visitors in the Carabao Cup Third Round on Tuesday. Then it’s a trip to Middlesbrough, where his six-month reign ended with the sack after a
2-1 win at Hillsborough two days before Christmas
2017. Monk said: “I was very pleased – I think we deserved at least a point for our effort and the way we went about it. I thought we had the better chances overall.
“When you have a goal deficit, you have to show character and fight and I thought the players did that wonderfully well.’’
Monk added: “I got a brilliant reception and it’s much appreciated. But it’s not about me, it’s about the players.’’
Fulham have now gone five games without a win in league and cup and this was their third consecutive
1-1 draw.
Boss Scott Parker said: “It’s disappointing when the goal comes in the manner it did.
“We played well in the first half and got our noses in front but in the end it was basic defending that cost us.
“It was Garry’s first game here and it was always going to be tough. But we have a good squad and I believe in what we’re doing.’’
Steven Fletcher was bidding to become the first Wednesday player to net in four straight matches since Gary Hooper two years ago.
And the striker, currently out of favour with Scotland, threatened twice inside the first half-hour. When Adam Reach found the ex-Burnley man with a right-wing cross he headed wide of the back post.
Then Kadeem Harris’s left-wing cross forced keeper Marcus Bettinelli to save at the far upright from Reach’s downward header and Fletcher’s follow-up was also blocked.
Kieran Lee brought another stop from Bettinelli but Fulham drew first blood three minutes before the break. Owls keeper Keiren Westwood pushed out Joe Bryan’s delivery and Cairney pounced to drill home his second this season.
Jacob Murphy replaced Reach and the on-loan Newcastle winger almost made an immediate impact, heading just wide on the end of skipper Barry Bannan’s cross.
But Kosovo striker Nuhiu, who came on for Fletcher, rescued a point with a diving header to meet Harris’s left-wing centre. MARCO SILVA had called for his Everton players to be “ice men” in the face of criticism.
Instead, he was left to bemoan a “nervous” performance as the Toffees melted under what he called “normal” pressure against Sheffield United.
Everton suffered their first home defeat for seven months in the Premier League, just days after Silva called for a “wall of ice” around the club to keep out criticism following last weekend’s loss at Bournemouth.
The Toffees boss is wary of sparking a crisis with his words. But if they don’t find consistency this season then a crisis will always be around the corner.
Chris Wilder’s side arrived with a gameplan to contain Everton who failed to win a game they’ve fallen behind in under Silva (right) for the
21st time in the league.
“We don’t have reasons to play nervously after seven months without losing at Goodison Park,” said Silva.
“You cannot handle normal pressure if you’re so nervous. We didn’t handle the normal pressure.
“We come from six wins in a row at home. It is difficult for me to find reasons why we played nervously for
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