National media make David Moyes and Marco Silva points as 'raucous' Everton fans left dreaming

A round-up of how the national media reported on Everton's dramatic late 2-1 comeback win over Fulham at Craven Cottage

Everton basked in more away day joy at Fulham after a late comeback secured their sixth win on their travels this season and 11th since David Moyes returned to the club in January of last year.

However, few would have guessed that the Blues would go on to triumph 2-1 at half-time. At that stage they were trailing 1-0 through an own goal from the returning Vitalii Mykolenko and, in truth, could count themselves fortunate not to be further behind.

But, for the third game running, Everton emerged a different team after the restart and they picked up another big three points on the road courtesy of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who equalised and then whose corner was punched into his own net by Bernd Leno.

OPINION

OPINION

Here’s how the national media reported on the drama...

In the Guardian, Jacob Steinburg contrasted the perfect fit of Everton traits that Moyes instils in his side compared with the crossroads that Fulham’s former Blues boss Marco Silva finds himself at: "Fulham are at a fork in the road. Which way do they go?

"They have plenty of talent, but are they capable of pushing on? Can they convince Marco Silva to extend his contract or will one of the most underrated managers in the Premier League decide it is time to look for a new challenge at the end of the season?

"Silva’s itchy feet are a badly kept secret. He has been key to Fulham’s rise since promotion in 2022, but there is a sense of a relationship drawing to a close.

"The manager, who has been linked with a number of vacancies in recent years, has not been shy to call for more investment in his squad. Oscar Bobb, signed from Manchester City for £27m, was an eye-catching arrival during the winter transfer window. The failure to meet PSV Eindhoven’s asking price for the USA striker Ricardo Pepi was a more frustrating development.

"Everton, unbeaten in five away games, were overwhelmed but industrious. With one goal in it, they responded with the defiance that typifies every David Moyes side.

"They stepped up in the second half and imposed themselves. James Garner, Dewsbury-Hall and Idrissa Gueye took control in midfield and Iliman Ndiaye’s dribbles caused problems.

"The challenge for the visitors was creating more in open play. James Tarkowski and Jake O'Brien threatened from corners, but Jorge Cuenca and Joachim Andersen kept Thierno Barry quiet before the striker made way for Beto

"With time running out, Everton drew level. Mykolenko broke free down the left and picked out Dewsbury-Hall, whose shot squirmed past Leno. Fulham, who had been reduced to playing on the break, were unable to lift themselves.

"Tyrique George, the Chelsea loanee, made an impact after coming on for his Everton debut. The winger won a corner. Everton, dangerous from set-pieces all afternoon, completed their comeback when Leno flapped at Dewsbury-Hall’s inswinging cross.

"Moyes smiled when he heard about Dewsbury-Hall asking for the goal to be given to him. Everton’s manager had watched events unfold from the back of the new Riverside Stand.

"It even has a pool on the roof. “I had a wee swim when I was up there,” Moyes deadpanned. Silva was in a less humorous mood."

Gethin Hicks of the Daily Mail reckons "raucous" Everton supporters are now dreaming of a return to European football: "Ninth against 10th, 34 points versus 34 points – that’s how the day started when Everton travelled to Craven Cottage. There was never going to be much in it, was there?

"The Everton fans were raucous, Fulham’s departed dismayed. Football is about taking your chances, and the Toffees did just that.

"David Moyes must have had some choice words for his side shortly before 4pm in the old-fashioned Craven Cottage dressing room, because a different Everton emerged after a break. The visitors were drab, even dire, in the first half. In the second they dominated.

"The equaliser had been coming long before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall side-footed home on 74 minutes. From there, you could almost sense an Everton winner was on the horizon.

"A set-piece eventually won it. Bernd Leno punching into his own net under pressure from Jake O'Brien on 83 minutes. From there the game was done – Everton’s wily defence wasn’t going to let that lead slip. Only table-toppers Arsenal (9) have conceded fewer away goals than the Toffees (10) this season, and that’s no coincidence.

"Moyes watched on proudly from the peak of the Riverside Stand as his team moved into the top half of the Premier League. He took over a little over a year ago with the club sat precariously in 17th position, one point off relegation. Now, they sit seventh, dreaming of a long-awaited return to Europe."

Keifer MacDonald, the former ECHO journalist, writing for the BBC, said: "For so long, it looked like it was going to be an away day to forget for Everton.

"The Blues were comfortably second best for most of the afternoon and only remained in the game because of Fulham's failure to turn chances into goals during a one-sided first half.

"But that all changed when Dewsbury-Hall netted his first goal since December. The former Chelsea and Leicester City midfielder’s second-half performance was proof that he is quickly becoming a key pillar of this Everton team, who are progressing after a turbulent few years for the blue half of Merseyside.

"After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League twice in recent seasons, Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry were brought in last summer to try and fire the club back up the Premier League.

"There have been green shoots throughout the season so far - especially on the road where the Toffees have won five and drawn two of their past eight games. But after a difficult start to 2026, and the news that Grealish's season was over after suffering a foot injury last month, Evertonians would have been forgiven for fearing the worst.

"Dewsbury-Hall, though, has seemingly breathed new life into Everton's season and in doing so proved that there is plenty to play for - specifically European football - between now and the end of May."

And the ECHO's own Joe Thomas declared w hat deadline day loan signing George provided changed everything as Everton show what they're made of again: "It might not have been a dream debut for Tyrique George but the deadline day signing made a difference in his first minutes in an Everton shirt.

"It was not that George produced an outstanding moment with the Blues trailing, he did not. But in replacing Harrison Armstrong - a central midfielder who was used once again by David Moyes out wide for the start of this match - he provided his team with more thrust, more balance and more intent.

"Suddenly, Everton were a threat down both flanks and George, desperate for the ball, brought an influx of ingenuity and creativity as he tried to help his team wrestle an initiative they surrendered once Jake O’Brien’s header bounced off Bernd Leno’s post in the first five minutes.

"It was George who started the move for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s equaliser, taking the ball and sending Vitalii Mykolenko down the left. The Ukraine international skipped inside his man and crossed to the attacking midfielder, whose low effort evaded Leno.

"The danger was that the Blues would allow a wounded Fulham to dictate play and hunt for a winner but George was pivotal in preventing the flow of the game from heading in one direction.

"He provided Fulham with a warning when he took the ball on the left and cut inside onto his right, dragging defenders with him and creating space to shoot. The effort screwed over the bar but it was another reminder that Everton had the ability to hurt Fulham.

"The second goal - the match winner - quickly followed. From finisher to creator, Dewsbury-Hall was at the centre of the chaos again - though like the first goal, his second was helped considerably by Leno. Dewsbury-Hall’s inswinging corner was threatening and O’Brien’s bulk was a challenge for the Fulham keeper to fight his way past, but his tame punch somehow sent the ball spinning into his own goal.

"The Craven Cottage faithful fell silent as the noise levels in the away end hit new heights. Everton saw out the match, including seven minutes of added on time, and left this part of London with three points for the second successive visit.

"Moyes, watching from the upper tiers of the hosts' luxury river-side stand as he served a touchline ban, smiled in glee when Stuart Atwell blew the final whistle. He shook his fists in joy and then clasped the hand of club captain Seamus Coleman, who had spent the match alongside him.

"After the game he was happier to talk about his team being set to avoid relegation than being in position to challenge for Europe, but moving up to seventh on the final whistle, they are certainly in that battle."

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