Crazy game at the Cottage as both sides spurn gilt-edged chances

Fulham 0 - 0 Everton

Everton return to Premier League action on Tuesday evening as they travel to London to face a tricky assignment against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Ashley Young returns to the side but Abdoulaye Doucouré is still out injured and Amadou Onana is another big miss after sustaining a problem in the FA Cup defeat to Luton. Coleman and Gomes also absent.

Idrissa Gueye is on his way back from the African Cup of Nations after Senegal were eliminated. Patterson is dropped to the bench with Godfrey stepping up in a possible back 5, and Arnaut Danjuma starts.

For Fulham, former Academy graduate Antonee Robinson starts under former Blues manager, Marco Silva.  

Everton in salmon pink strip looked to press Fulham high from their kick-off but they advanced and shot off target. Clavert-Lewin fed Harrison for a brilliant chance, that Harrison tried but failed to put the right side of Leno's far post. What a miss!

Another decent Pinks attack saw Calvert-Lewn's attempted strike blocked at his feet and Everton's first corner was played short and wasted, Fulham getting a corner from a poor Everton backpass, Pereira sliced his shot well wide. 

A good Fulham cross was cleared by Godfrey but Robinson's deflected shot was parried by Pickford for a Fulham corner that was eventually cleared, Pereira going down at the slightest touch from Tarkowski: nothing in it. Godfrey did very well to stall Robinson.  

Fulham had the better start despite two potential chances for Everton, and they needed to play up. But when they did, Calvert-Lewin striding forward was very well tackled by Palhinha, then McNeil played the ball straight to a defender. Garner tried but failed to find Calvert-Lewin. Danjuma then had a lame shot to Leno.

After struggling to break Everton down, Fulham won a handy free-kick for a Danjuma handball, Palhinha heading over a decent ball in from Pereria. Danjuma tried to play a one-two with Mykolenko before Young drew a foul for a very threatening free-kick. 

Young's ball was pushed back into play by Leno, and a Tarkowski shot was deflected up onto the bar and down onto Robinson's arm (Handball???) before he cleared the ball two-thirds across the goal line... no goal, no handball, no penalty.

But Everton came back at them after the restart, Harrison fouled by Palhinha, and another set-piece chance. Harrison drove it into the wall and Godfrey then committed a foul. But Godfrey was then booked for the slightest pull-back on Robinson. 

Everton tried to press Fulham high again but they forced their way forward. Everton blocked that move and quickly countered, the ball coming to Danjuma who cut inside but his shot was simply awful.  

Fulham put together a strong attack that saw Willian turn inside and try his trademark curler but Branthwaite blocked away brilliantly. Fulham surged forward again but Pickford was out quickly to smother the danger. 

But Fulham powered forward again and won a corner, short and worked around to Pereria whose shot zoomed 2 feet over Pickford's bar. A Pickford hoof was held up by Calvert-Lewin but driven straight at Leno by Harrison. 

Fulham came closest, Robinson's cross, Smashed goalward and blocked, but falling to Jimenez who screwed this shot inches wide. Branthwaite caught Jimenez on his ankle and was shown a yellow card for it. 

Godfrey was covering Robinson well and getting forward so Young could cross, but well behind Calvert-Lewin; Danjuma on the overlap saw his shot deflected behind, the resulting corner finally cleared as the half came to a close; probably even on points at this stage, with missed chances to rue.

Everton were soon looking for a penalty after the restart but the contact on Harrison was deemed insufficient. Fulham countered, winning a corner that was headed clear by Tarkowski but the pressure was maintained. 

A tremendous cross in was headed behind very well by Godfrey away from Tosin. Fulham had a few more bites of the cherry before Pickford grabbed the ball. Pereira lashed a shot well wide. Muniz won a high press but Pickford got to it before the offside flag went up. 

Branthwaite was caught by Muniz and Pickford hoofed it up for Tarkowski to head back to Godfrey whose shot deflected behind. Calvert-Lewin headed onto the bar at the back post. Everton kept up the press and Calvert-Lewin again headed just over the bar from distance. 

Robinson broke free down the left and his cross could not be turned in by Pereira at the far post. Branthwaite made a huge error to release Cordova-Reid, who crossed rather than shooting, Godfry getting it away from Palhinha.

Calvert-Lewin got free and looked to cut it back but to no-one and a shot was eventually blocked away before the linesman finally flagged Calvert-Lewin offside. At the other end, another corner for Fulham but it was cleared and Danjuma could not get past Robinson. 

Back toward the Everton goal and another corner for Fulham, headed over by Muniz. It was all very high tempo now, with Fulham piling up the attacks. Pereira drove in along the line and forced another Fulham corner, the header easily caught by Pickford. 

Everton tried to counter but it broke down and they needed another critical block on Muniz's shot behind for a corner. That came in and was flicked on by Castagne, off the top of the bar! 

A sweeping attack by Everton saw Young crossing ahead of Calvert-Lewin and another strike coming in before the very late offside flag went up again. At the other end, yet another corner for Fulham, headed clear by Calvert-Lewin defending the near post.

Another strong Fulham attack Cordiva-Reid lashed a shot into the side netting, for another corner, and then off Calvert-Lewin for yet another corner, played sort and an excellent cross dug out by Willian and headed firmly at goal by Tosin forcing a tremendous acrobatic save from Pickford.

Late late subs as ever from Dyche: Beto and Patterson on for Calvert-Lewin and Young with less than 10 minutes left. More deep defending needed by Everton as they clung resolutely on to the point they started with. De Cordova-Reid scuffed a shot that bobbled just wide of Pickford's goalpost.

More Fulham corners with Everton now penned back, De Cordova-Reid powering a shot well wide. Everton finally got up the field and won a free-kick that Garner swung in well, Tosin heading behind for a rare Everton corner that Leno flapped at but Tarkowski was penalised. 

Danjuma needed 3 minutes treatment after an innocuous contact, perhaps twisting his knee, Dobbin coming on for him with 6 minutes added on. Willian  popped up another brilliant cross for De Cordova-Reid to head powerfully straight at Pickford with space either side of him.

Everton won a turnover off Tosin and Beto's shot got them a corner. Tarkowski headed it back to Beto who incredibly headed over from 2 yards!  The ball worked around and Garner's shot deflected wide.  The corner came in and an almighty scramble at the far post, Beto and Godfrey both unable to convert before Leno finally pounced on it. 

And that was it. Probably another 2 winnable points not won but there is credit for another vital point that was secured through some exceptional defensive work. 

Fulham:  Leno; Castagne, Tosin, Diop (75' Ream), Robinson; Palhinha [Y:29'], Cairney; De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian, Jimenez (46' Muniz). 

Subs not Used: Rodak, Tete, Reed, Lukic, Vinicius, Francois, Sekularac.

Everton: Pickford, Godfrey [Y:29'], Tarkowski, Branthwaite [Y:42'], Mykolenko, Young (81' Patterson), Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Danjuma (90' Dobbin), Calvert-Lewin (81' Beto).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Lonergan, Keane, Chermiti, Hunt, Metcalfe.

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