Everton v Fulham
Both Everton and Fulham are ending the season strongly and will want to continue their good form when they meet at Goodison Park on Saturday.
It would have been very easy for Everton’s players to feel sorry for themselves and just want the season over with after losing to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi final but they have done anything bet. When Davie Moyes is your manager, players understand that they need to give everything they have in each and every game, no matter what is at stake. To their credit, the players have responded really well and last weekend’s come from behind 4-4 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford typified the spirit and attitude which is abundant at the Toffee’s. It was their fourth, unbeaten league game in a row and was even more incredible because of the manner it came in. Despite taking the lead, Everton found themselves 3-1 and 4-2 down in the game, the latter with only 7 minutes to go. Not only did it put a massive dent in United’s title hopes, it means that the blue half of Merseyside are in with a real chance of finishing ahead of Liverpool for the first time since 2005. Moyes will be hoping they can end the season on a high over the next four matches, starting with a home win on Saturday.
Fulham have had a strong first season under manager Martin Jol and are currently enjoying their best run of the season which has seen them when six and draw one of their last 10 league matches. It’s a run which has lifted them into the top half of the table, level on points with Liverpool and just a couple behind this weekend’s opponents. Jol has changed the style of Fulham’s play by introducing a more flexible approach as opposed to a rigid formation. It seems to be working as last weekend’s victory over Wigan came against a side who had recently defeat Arsenal and Manchester United. At home they are a match for anyone as they have the ability to pin in under a lot of pressure but also being able to break quickly. This is highlighted in their record at Craven Cottage this season which has seen them win nine and drawn five of their 18 matches to date. It’s one of the best points return of any side in the division and when you consider that there has been quite a bit of upheaval in terms of management and players over the last couple of years, the consistency they continued to show has been excellent.
Everton have an excellent record in this fixture over the years. The Toffee’s have won each of their last 10 meetings in the Premier League at Goodison which is a fantastic achievement by any club. It’s a statistic which get’s churned out every time they sides meet and one I can imagine that Fulham supporters are sick of hearing about.
Clint Dempsey has been a revelation for Fulham under Martin Jol. Since Bobby Zamora moved in January, the US Internationalist has taken on even more responsibility and he has relished it. With 16 league goals to his name already, he has been linked with a summer move to Arsenal amongst others.
Records are there to be broken and eventually, Fulham will win at Goodison Park. But Everton are really strong at the moment and will be on a high after last weekend’s excellent performance at Old Trafford – they can make it 11 in a row at home to Fulham.
My Selection: Everton to beat Fulham
Best odds available: 5/6 with Ladbrokes
