Everton have made a habit of going behind at home this season, conceding the first goal at home eleven times in sixteen games. It’s an unenviable record but one that means David Moyes’ men know a bit about climbing mountains.
Their ascent started here on 14 minutes when John Arne Riise found space in behind Landon Donovan before cutting back for Damien Duff on the penalty spot. His placed effort cannoned into the arm of John Heitinga who was spread mid-slide, Howard Webb adjudged the hand to be intentional and gave a penalty in front of the Gwaldys Street end which Danny Murphy slotted home.
The Dutchman continued his protestations with Webb, who memorably sent him off in the World Cup final in South Africa, while uncomfortable comparisons were drawn with the penalty incident involving Micah Richards at Anfield, just two days earlier.
Everton responded to what they saw as the injustice and should have been level minutes later when Shane Duffy muscled himself room in the six yard box only to nod agonisingly wide.
The young Irishman may have been brought in by David Moyes to sure things up at the back but he showed a real eye for goal again on twenty minutes, collecting a loose ball from a corner and curling a left footed shot toward the bottom corner which required Aaron Hughes’ goal line clearance to intervene.
Martin Jol had referred to Everton’s reliance on the cross as “a very English” modus operandi ahead of kick off, and it was from wide areas that the Blues found their success, albeit with a strictly American combination.
North America’s ambidextrous American, Landon Donovan, showed superb feet to produce a wicked cross which arced onto the forehead of South American Denis Stracqualursi. The big Argentine finally backed up his billing as a dangerous header of the ball by guiding the equaliser past the despairing dive of Robbie Stockdale, and into the Park End net.
Not for the first time since the start of his second stint on Merseyside, Donovan was providing the most potent of the Toffees’ options, he almost sent his side in at half time with a lead after putting his laces through a swerving drive which Stockdale did well to beat away.
Everton have been anything but assured at home this season, but they seem to find composure against Fulham who have become their first double victims of the season. And the second half proved more comfortable than they might have expected.
Andy Johnson’s pace was expertly dealt with by the combination of Duffy and Heitinga who seem to have gelled since their emergency pairing at White Hart Lane, and that proficiency at the back was finally mirrored in the last third, thanks largely, again, to Landon Donovan.
He took a quick freekick in the Everton half before advancing up-field and floating in yet another great cross which was met by another header of equal quality. Marouane Fellaini, sending the ball back across goal into the top corner, forcing Stockdale into another futile dive and sending Everton into an unassailable lead.
As Everton wound down the clock David Moyes seemed to have an altercation with Royston Drenthe which saw Tim Cahill play mediator between the enigmatic winger and his manager. The Dutchman will have hoped that a good performance and place in the draw for the FA Cup fifth round will have somewhat improved his boss’ mood.
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Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard, Baines, Heitinga, Neville, Duffy, Gibson, Cahill, Fellaini, Donovan, Stracqualursi (Anichebe 83), Gueye (Drenthe 68)
Subs: Hahnemann, Hibbert, Drenthe, Saha, Vellios, Anichebe, Baxter
Fulham (4-5-1): Stockdale, Kelly, JA Riise, Hangeland, Baird (Sidwell 82), Hughes, Murphy (Trotta 87), Duff (Zamora 79), Dempsey, Johnson, Ruiz
Subs:Etheridge, Senderos, Sidwell, Frei, Davies, Zamora, Trotta
Ref: H Webb
Att: 25,300
Goals: Murphy 14 (pen), Stracqualursi 27, Fellaini 73
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