Having received a ten-point deduction for breaching financial restrictions earlier this season, Everton’s appeal hearing date had been set in stone – commencing on Wednesday. A trip to Fulham’s Craven Cottage on Tuesday night would provide a much-needed opportunity to salvage some crucial points, regardless of the outcome of their appeal.
FUL: Leno; Robinson, Diop, Adarabioyo, Castagne; Cairney, Palhinha; Willian, Pereira, Decordova-Reid; Jiménez
EVE: Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Godfrey; Danjuma, Garner, McNeil, Young; Harrison; Calvert-Lewin
The goalmouth action was aplenty on the banks of the River Thames on Tuesday, with James Tarkowski seeing his strike ricochet off the crossbar after a deflection from Issa Diop – with Timothy Castagne then called upon to hoof it away from danger as it trickled back towards goal.
Castagne’s heroics would, unfortunately for him, be replicated by Tarkowski later on in the first half, as the Belgian right-back saw his strike blocked by the former Burnley man.
Embed from Getty ImagesFulham put Everton under the cosh after the interval, with Castagne involved once again when his flicked headed effort struck the bar before forcing Jordan Pickford into a fine save to deny Tosin Adarabioyo’s headed attempt.
There would still be a flurry of late chances for the visitors though, with Beto heading over the bar deep inside injury time before the Toffees failed to slam home after a brief spell of pinball on the edge of the six-yard box.
Fulham’s next match sees them travel to Burnley on Saturday, while Everton prepare to welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park.
