Everton beat Fulham to keep Europe dream alive

Sunday 30th March , 2014 6:32 pm

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Everton recorded a fifth successive Premier League win to continue their push for a Champions League berth, dumping Fulham deeper into trouble.

Substitute Steven Naismith’s shot deflected off David Stockdale to give the Toffees the lead, before Ashkan Dejagah drilled home an equaliser.

But Kevin Mirallas’s left-foot shot and Naismith’s stabbed finish ensured the visitors moved four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.

Fulham are five points from safety.

It was the first time since the early days of David Moyes’s reign in 2002 that the Merseysiders have won five league games in succession.

As they have a game in hand on Arsenal, who visit Goodison Park next Sunday, Everton’s fate is in their own hands.

With six games to play, Fulham’s situation is becoming critical, and defeat will have hurt even more because they played so well before the break.

On his first start, 17-year-old Moussa Dembele had an excellent chance to put the hosts in front a minute before the break but headed Lewis Holtby’s chipped cross straight at Tim Howard.

The Everton keeper had earlier used his feet to deny the French teenager – not to be confused with former Fulham midfielder Mousa Dembele, now at Tottenham. However, a debatable offside flag had already been raised before the save was made.

Source: BBC