GOALDEN SILVA
Marco’s ex factor leaves Dyche in big trouble
A QUICKFIRE Wales one-two dumped Everton into serious relegation trouble and made it a golden return to Goodison Park for Fulham boss Marco Silva.
Silva, sacked after 15 months in charge here, watched on from the stand completing his touchline ban as Fulham proved their season is still alive, after arriving on Merseyside on the back of four straight league defeats.
Second-half goals from Welsh internationals Harry Wilson and Dan James sucked the life out of Sean Dyche’s side, who now find themselves in grave danger of ending their 69-year-long stay in the top flight.
Silva said: “I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, just myself. I’m just pleased we have come through a bad spell. I thought we controlled the second half from the first minute to the last and we clearly deserved the three points.”
Worryingly for Everton this was a tame surrender – not something you associate with Dyche teams.
Empty seats illustrated some fans might already be fearing the worst.
Not that Fulham or Silva were bothered – the Portuguese enjoying his first-ever win over the Toffees after failed attempts in charge of Hull and Watford.
Dyche said: “The challenge is no different than when I came here. People were saying the club has gone. There have been great strides. This was a step back.”
Fulham had begun with confidence and composure and Wilson should have done better than fire straight at Jordan Pickford after slackness in the home defence allowed the former Liverpool player too much space in the box.
But he quickly made amends with a thunderbolt from just outside the area which cannoned off the post for Harrison Reed to snap up the rebound.
Everton hit back before the break but it just proved to be a mirage of false hope. James Garner, starting his first Premier League game since his summer move from Manchester United, intercepted a Joao Palhinha pass to find Dwight Mcneil, who advanced to edge of the area before burying a low drive past Bernd Leno.
Fulham emerged in the second half with gusto and within six minutes they were back in front, Kenny Tete crossing from the right and Willian finding Wilson, whose composed finish beat Pickford.
James glided between two defenders from Tete’s deep free-kick to slot home. EVERTON: Pickford 7; Godfrey 6 (Patterson (58) 6), Keane 6, Tarkowski 7, Mykolenko 6; Iwobi 6, Gueye 6 (Davies (69) 6), Garner 7, Mcneil 7; Gray 6 Maupay 5 (Simms (74) 6) FULHAM: Leno 7; Tete 7, Tosin 6, Ream 6, Robinson 6; Reed 7 (Lukic (85) 5), Palhinha 6; Wilson 8, Pereira 7 (Cairney (79) 6), Willian 7 (Decordova-reid (79) 6); James 7 (Vinicius (90) 5) STAR MAN: Harry Wilson – A mature display from the ex-liverpool man on enemy territory spiced with a goal. REF: Anthony Taylor 7
contract for the rest of the season – responded in peculiar fashion.
One moment he was telling the faithful to calm down, a second later demanding they pump up the volume.
The only hope was his half-time talk was less contradictory. That was certainly up for debate on 54 minutes as Palace broke the deadlock.
Eberechi Eze had just wasted a free-kick when he picked out Jordan
Ayew, who returned the favour by crossing to set up him up with a simple finish.
Eze was now taking a grip of proceedings and 14 minutes later he spun inside two markers before rifling in a low 20-yarder to put the result beyond doubt.
Selles was fuming. Hodgson turned to take the acclaim of the adoring travelling masses.
It might have finished differently had Carlos
Alcaraz’s curler not hit the crossbar then hooked over – and with that went any comeback hopes. SOUTHAMPTON: Bazunu 6; Maitlandniles 6, Bednarek 7, Bella-kotchap 7, Walker-peters 6; Walcott 6 (Djenepo (62) 6), Ward-prowse 6, Lavia 7, Aribo 7 (Onuachu (62) 6); Sulemana 6 (S Armstrong (80) 6), Alcaraz 7 (Edozie (80) 6) C PALACE: Johnstone 6; Ward 6, Andersen 6, Guehi 7 (Tomkins (90) 5), Mitchell 6; Eze 8, Doucoure 7 (Milivojevic (85) 6), Schlupp 7 (Lokonga (85) 6); Olise 7, Edouard 7 (Hughes (74) 6), Ayew 6 (Mateta 90) 5) STAR MAN: Eberechi Eze – Graceful Palace ace settled the contest with rapid second-half double.
Michael Oliver 7