Everton 3 - 0 Fulham

rss feed for news items | England News

Saturday Dec 08 2007 03:00

Everton stretched their unbeaten run to ten games thanks to a second-half hat-trick from new Goodison Park hero Yakubu.

Laurie Sanchez brought his Fulham side to Goodison looking for a first away win in 25 games but he found no quarter given by an Everton side that came to life in the second 45 minutes.

Fulham started brightly on a wet, windy and frankly miserable Saturday afternoon. Steven Davis forced a punched clearance from Tim Howard in just the third minute.

As Everton regained their composure, Joleon Lescott almost put the hosts ahead from a Mikel Arteta free-kick which was well held by Fulham keeper Antti Niemi.

In fairness, the horrendous conditions on Merseyside made it difficult for either side to play with any degree of skill.

In fact, the most notable incident of the first half was a fine Niemi tip-over after an Arteta free-kick deflected off Davis' head.

At the end of the first half Fulham had probably shaded the game in the wet conditions.

Even the most optimistic Evertonian could not have predicted what was to come after the break.

Both teams came out for the second half unchanged, but Everton came flying out the traps, whatever David Moyes said at half-time clearly worked.

Everton's opening goal came when Yakubu toe-poked home after Niemi had parried a fantastic low volley from Tim Cahill straight to the big man's feet.

Two minutes later Danny Murphy forced a great save from Howard after he hit a rasping drive from outside the area, a shot which was Fulham's last meaningful effort on goal.

Ten minutes later Yakubu made it two after Spanish winger Arteta whipped in a dangerous corner, which found Phil Jagielka, whose smart back header fell to Yakubu.

The clinical forward made no mistake after directing his own header into the top left hand corner.

The Nigerian should have had his hat-trick after the best move of the game, which saw Steven Pienaar play a lovely one-two with Phil Neville and run almost the full length of the pitch to play in Yakubu, who then tried to slide in Arteta when a shot was the better option.

It was Pienaar who was instrumental in finally helping Yakubu complete his treble after the South African winger picked up the ball in the Fulham half, played it to Yakubu, received it back, and instead of playing it out to Arteta, cut it back intelligently into the big man's path, who evaded a last-ditch challenge to slot home.

The Nigerian left the field to a standing ovation before referee Steve Bennett blew the final whistle.

  • 90
    The final whistle goes and Everton gain a easy win over a pretty poor Fulham, who's second half performance was quite worrying, and its Yakubu's hat-rick that ends up seperating the sides.
  • 90
    Healy has another good effort as his long range shot hits the roof of the net, and you have to wonder why he doesn't start for Fulham.
  • 90
    There will be 2 minutes of stoppage time to be played.
  • 87
    Niemi makes another good save from McFadden, and Niemi has been very busy today and played well despite conceding 3.
  • 86
    There shouldn't be much injury time added on, which is a blessing for Fulham as they'll want to get off as quickly as possible.
  • 84
    Healy attempts to chip Howard, who was off his line, but the effort may have been jsut a bit too ambitious as the ball hits the roof of the net.
  • 82
    Yakubu and Cahill are both taken off as Andrew Johnson and James McFadden come on in a double substitution.
  • 81
    The second half has certainly been a one-sided affair, and Yakubu has again shown that he was a good buy from Boro.
  • 79
    Yakubu gets his hat-rick! Steven Pienaar played the ball to Yakubu, who turned Dejan Stefanovic in the box and then calmly placed the ball home.
  • 76
    Fulham still have enough time to get back in the game, but at the moment you'ld have to say that it looks highly unlikely.
  • 74
    Danny Murphy is replaced by Ki-Hyeon Seol.
  • 70
    Elliot Omozusi is booked for protesting that last chance, as he thought that Arteta was offside.
  • 70
    Arteta has missed a guilt edge chance, Yakubu put the ball across the box, and Arteta has somehow missed from 6 yards.
  • 68
    Everton are dominating the game now, and you have to feel for Healy, who always seems to be brought on when his side are losing and dont have much chance of getting back.
  • 65
    The game is comfortable for Everton now, with Fulham as yet failing to produce much upfront, the home team look like they might be sitting back a bit.
  • 63
    David Healy replaces Clint Dempsey.
  • 61
    Yakubu gets his second of the game! Cahill put in a corner, and Osman flicks it on from the near post leaving Yakubu to head home from close range.
  • 58
    Dempsey has his shot spilled by Howard, but Everton are able to clear the ball as Shefki Kuqi was bearing down on goal.
  • 55
    The ball bounces around the Fulham box from an Everton corner, but eventually, Fulham are able to clear the ball.
  • 53
    Murphy has a shot on goal, and Howard makes his first save of the game, and that was a good effort from Murphy.
  • 51
    Yakubu scores! Cahill shoots and Niemi makes a good save, but spills the ball, and Yakubu is left to finish from close range.
  • 46
    Lescott gets his head on a whipped in free-kick, but he cant get the direction on it and Fulham can clear the ball.
  • 45
    The game restarts with both sides looking to improve on the standard of the first half, the fans will be praying for the same!
  • 45
    The whistle goes and neither side have created many chances of note, but Fulham will be the happier of both sides having kept a clean sheet in the opening 45.
  • 45
    There will just be a single minute of stoppage time.
  • 42
    The game is closing in on half-time, and neither side has had that much to shout about, and unsurprisingly, the crowd have been rather quiet.
  • 39
    Elliot Omozusi makes a crucial tackle as Everton were in a dangerous area, and Fulham are able to clear the ball.
  • 36
    Simon Davies puts in a free-kick, but it is a poor one, and it goes straight out for a goal-kick.
  • 32
    Simon Davis drives a shot on goal, and Niemi pushes it around the post for a corner.
  • 30
    Murphy puts in a good ball into the box but no Fulham player can get to it and Howard claims the ball.
  • 27
    Lescott fouls as the Linesman flags up, and the rain is still driving down, and some players may start trying long range efforts as keeping here is getting harder.
  • 23
    Phil Jagielka comes on to replace Leighton Baines.
  • 22
    Leighton Baines pulls up sharply as he was charging down the wing, and Baines could have pulled his hamstring in that attack.
  • 19
    The game has still failed to get into second gear as both sides continue to play at a slow tempo.
  • 15
    The crowd haven't had too much to shout about in the opening 15 minutes, perhaps the conditions are playing a part in this game after all.
  • 12
    Niemi makes a good save from a free-kick after the ball took a big deflection off the Fulham wall.
  • 10
    Diomansy Kamara is booked for refusing to retreat 10 yards at an Everton free-kick. Though the decsion can be seen as a bit harsh.
  • 9
    Murphy had the chance to shoot from range, but he decided to run at the defence, and as a result lost possession.
  • 6
    The game has started slowly, with neither side showing much attacking intent at the moment.
  • 3
    Lescott hits a good volley and Niemi makes the first save of the game, and its a good one.
  • 2
    The rain, like it is round most the country, is pouring down at Goodison Park, and how will this affect the styles of football from both sides?
  • 0
    Everton are looking for their 200th Premier League victory against a Fulham side who have had their worst ever start to a Premier League season as Steve Bennett gets the game underway.
  • 0
    Fulham are missing 6 key players including the influential Alexei Smertin, however Kamara is the only change from Monday as the visitors begin with: Niemi, Omozusi, Hughes, Stefanovic, Konchesky, Davies, Davis, Murphy, Kamara, Kuqi, Dempsey
  • 0
    Joseph Yobo passes a late fitness test and starts with Lescott in defence as Jagielka returns to the bench, Everton start with: Howard, Neville, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Osman, Arteta, Cahill, Carsley, Pienaar, Yakubu

Statistics

Everton
Shots on target 11
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 9
Offsides 3
Corners 12

Fulham
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 2
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 9
Offsides 0
Corners 7

See Live Commentary