Premier League: Craven Cottage Faithful Can Still Believe

Fulham vs Everton

Realistically, Premier League fans could look at this fixture and think both teams may have one eye on their forthcoming summer break. And who can blame them. After all, from the outside, it may appear that both sides have nothing to play for but pride.

Yes, merit payments mean the higher you finish, the more money you bank, so there is much at stake financially between now and May 25.

But the neutral will question whether Fulham and Everton have the desire for too many Premier League 2025 highlights, given the Cottagers may be too far adrift to qualify for Europe and the Toffees are comfortably in mid-table. That is not a view I share.

 

Talking Points

For Marco Silva, Toffees boss for 18 months in 2018 and 2019, there must be mixed emotions. They have shown how effective they can be, not least last month when they gave Liverpool a torrid time en route to a 3-2 success.

Consistency has been hard to come by, though, which is understandable given they have struggled to keep hold of their top men in successive summers. Put it this way, if they still had the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joao Palhinha in their ranks, they would probably now be higher than their current 11^th place in the standings.

Of course, that is the reality when you are competing against opposition with deeper pockets but, should eighth place be enough to seal a Euro spot, then it will be worth all the endeavours, and that is why I think the hosts will have the greater drive to emerge triumphant from this contest.

Silva’s side may have a battle on their hands after Bournemouth’s win at Arsenal, Brentford’s victory over Manchester United, and Brighton’s draw with Newcastle last weekend. But Fulham can apply the pressure by breathing down their necks and a home win should do just that.

For the visitors, David Moyes has done a super job since his return in January.

Shorn of players such as the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin (out of contract this summer) and midfielder Orel Mangala, they can head into their new horizon at a new stadium with a spring in their step.

Calvert-Lewin came off the bench to make his first appearance since January 25 last weekend, in their 2-2 draw at home to Ipswich. He will probably do the same again this weekend, and he will no doubt be wanting to prove his worth, especially with no contract offer on the table at the Blues.

A goal or notable performance will probably help his value, but he may find that hard to come by against the determined west Londoners who, after losing six of their past 10 games in the league (as many as in their first 25 games of the campaign) know there is no room for any slip-ups.

 

History

January 1926 was when these two sides locked horns for the first time, in a third round FA Cup tie at Goodison Park. The great Dixie Dean scored the Toffees’ goal in a 1-1 draw on that occasion before Fulham won the replay 1-0.

It wasn’t actually until Boxing Day 1949 that they met in the league, again at Goodison, again a 1-1 draw.

The sides met three times last season. In the corresponding fixture, Bobby Decordova-Reid scored the only goal of the contest to earn the Cottagers an opening day success. A League Cup tie last Christmas, also on Merseyside, ended 1-1 with Fulham winning on spot kicks.

The return league fixture in west London in late January ended level pegging as the sides played out a goalless draw.

Overall, Everton have 31 victories in this contest, while there have been 24 Fulham successes and 16 draws, the most recent of which came at Goodison Park earlier this season when Beto netted a last-gasp equaliser to prevent Alex Iwobi’s goal from claiming all three points for the Cottagers.

 

Betting Tip

Next weekend is Everton’s Goodison Park farewell, which I expect to be a special occasion before their move to the new Bramley-Moore Dock ground. But I am not convinced they will have too much incentive for this contest.

Our SBOTOP Premier League 2025 betting odds aren’t too convinced either with the Toffees quite adrift, both 1X2 @ 3.87 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.38.

A home win, meanwhile, offers you odds 1X2 @ 1.87 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.16. A draw is priced @ 3.25, and another 1-1 draw is on offer with Correct Score @ 6.40.

I am going to edge towards the Cottagers who I think will have just enough.

   

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