SIG’S JUST TWO GOOD

Everton ........ 3 Fulham ......... 0 Gylfi double after pen hell

ICELAND ace Gylfi Sigurdsson kept his cool after a penalty miss to fire Everton to just their second Premier League win of the season.

Sigurdsson scored twice either side of a Cenk Tosun header to punish new boys Fulham and grab the Toffees’ first three points since August.

Blues boss Marco Silva hailed the two-goal hero after he recovered to spare his own blushes.

He said: “He showed fantastic character and personality is important. Not just him but for our squad.

“He missed a penalty but after two minutes he started working hard again.

“He works every day to achieve something, not just score goals but to perform well as well.

“In some moments he didn’t perform but the outcome was fair with him today.”

This was a meeting between two sides with just one win each in their opening six Premier League games.

But for Everton that was a more hurtful statistic given their summer spending and hopes of European qualification.

They were facing newly promoted Fulham who have never won a league game at Goodison Park and this would turn out to be their 23rd defeat here.

If ever there was a day for Silva’s side to get their first league victory since they beat Southampton here on August 18, this was it.

But, in the opening half, it was the Cottagers who had the better chances with Andre Schurrle firing over and then Ryan Sessegnon hitting the bar.

Silva got stuck into Everton at the break after a lacklustre opening 45 from the hosts.

“I don’t tell you everything that I told them but I told them you have to be more aggressive,” added the Everton boss.

Just seven minutes after the restart, the Toffees had a penalty when Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down after being barged over by Fulham defender Denis Odoi.

Referee Roger East initially waved away calls for a spot-kick but his assistant, Andrew Garratt, signalled to give it.

Sigurdsson stepped up but smashed off the bar from 12 yards out. But four minutes later, he atoned for his mistake when Jonjoe Kenny’s cut-back was deflected into his path by Odoi’s outstretched leg.

The Iceland international found the bottom corner from the edge of the area with an impressive first-touch finish.

Everton were suddenly on top and in the 66th minute they had a second when Tosun – not long after coming off the bench – rose to head home Theo Walcott’s cross for his first goal of the campaign.

The Toffees got a third with a minute to go after summer signing Bernard came on for a cameo appearance.

It was the Brazilian’s run down the left that opened up Fulham again and his cut-back fell to

Sigurdsson, who this time took a touch before slotting home.

Fulham have now lost four games in seven and manager Slavisa Jokanovic said: “We started the game well. We controlled the situation in the first 45 minutes.

“But then they scored three easy goals.

“We were sleeping in an important moment. You pay an expensive price if you do not adapt.

“We are in a growing-up process. We must be more brave and more consistent.”