Everton

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

Anton: Not a vintage performance by any stretch but a game we would have definitely lost in the past few seasons. Kept a coherent shape for pretty much the full 90 and didn't drop our heads when chances were (once again) squandered. Having said that, Thierno Barry had by far his best outing for us. Still a long way from the finished article and desperately needs that first goal, but he will hopefully take a confidence boost from this match.

Mike: The switch of James Garner to right-back immediately gave the team more natural balance and threat. We have to keep with it and not revert back to overly cautious mode. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had his best game, as did Barry.

Alex: Solid performance from the Blues. We created plenty of opportunities and could have won 3-0 or 4-0 with some decent forwards. We don't have the luxury of time to wait for Barry and Beto to get up to speed. We withstood pressure from Fulham, which was pleasing as we would usually end up conceding. Michael Keane has been immense since David Moyes took over. Decent performance all round.

Terry: Everton are so badly in need of a striker and a midfield general. They have the makings of a good team but need the aforementioned in January or it is a long season again.

Fulham fans

Ian: Fulham were very lacklustre. Everton deserved the win and could have scored more. There are many issues currently frustrating fans. Something has failed since the close season, and the players need to find the fight as it is going to be a long, hard season.

James: I don't know what to say. Once again, they completely fell apart and did not perform. Fulham cannot keep going like this if they want to stay in the Premier League.

Nikolai: Weak. Poor defending and too many in forward positions are not decisive enough. Kevin looks out of his comfort zone in the Premier League and we are missing a good striker. No offence to Raul Jimenez, but we are not dangerous enough going forward. The relegation battle will be on soon enough.

Mike: Things need to change - and fast. We desperately need a decent striker because the ones we have got are not Premier League class. It might also be time for a change of manager. I love Marco Silva to bits, but I believe he has taken us as far as he can. It is really looking like it is going to be a desperate fight to stop relegation.

Pundits Alan Shearer and Theo Walcott join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Everton 2-0 Fulham

• West Ham 3-2 Burnley

• Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Everton boss David Moyes, speaking to BBC Match Of The Day after their 2-0 victory over Fulham: "I thought we played well enough to win the game, but Fulham were a threat. We warranted the win. While it was 1-0, Fulham were a threat. I thought we grew back into the game and got the second goal. Today was tight but we just about deserved it."

On Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's impressive performance: "By the way, he has been fantastic for us. He has played so well and helped us play better this season."

On Thierno Barry: " I was actually very pleased with him today. Today was one of his better games. He is just getting used to the Premier League and the intensity."

Did you know?

Since the start of 2020-21, only Gabriel Magalhaes (18) has scored more goals among defenders in the Premier League than Everton's Michael Keane (13).

Listen to Moyes' post-match interview on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Everton manager David Moyes was cutting a frustrated presence on the touchline by the time fourth official Ben Toner indicated six minutes of added time at the end of the first half, but his mood would soon improve.

His team had created by far the better opportunities against Marco Silva's side, but a combination of wayward finishing and the linesman's flag had kept the Cottagers on level terms.

Summer signing Thierno Barry, who retained his place in Moyes' starting line-up despite a glaring miss against Sunderland on Monday, is desperate for a first Premier League goal so would have been cursing his luck for having an effort chalked off after Iliman Ndiaye strayed offside from Idrissa Gueye's low cross.

French striker Barry should have seized an earlier chance when he rose unmarked to meet Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's cross earlier in the half, sending his header high over the bar.

Defender James Tarkowski, who had a close-range volley disallowed, was denied by the crossbar not long after that, but Fulham were unable to clear their lines and Gueye pounced to finally put the home side in front.

The second half would have been far more comfortable for Everton had Dewsbury-Hall's sweeping finish not been ruled out, but the Toffees needed Jordan Pickford and Ndiaye to preserve their narrow advantage with key interventions as Fulham began to commit more men forward.

Michael Keane's late effort, which appeared to come off his shoulder, settled the home fans' nerves and earned Everton their first win since beating Crystal Palace over a month ago.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Everton's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Everton XI: Pickford, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Iroegbunam, Gueye, Garner, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry

Subs: Travers, McNeil, Beto, O'Brien, Dibling, Coleman, Alcaraz, Rohl, Aznou

Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Iwobi, Berge, Wilson, Lukic, Kevin, Jimenez

Subs: Lecomte, Muniz, Cairney, Adama, Cuenca, Chukwueze, Castagne, King, Smith Rowe

Everton were superb in the first half hour against Sunderland and had Thierno Barry not ballooned his shot over the bar from close range at 1-0, they would've gone on to win that game.

Instead it was another reminder that they are missing a top-class centre-forward.

I feel sorry for Toffees boss David Moyes because Beto has also missed so many of the wonderful opportunities his side have created this season.

Fulham's win over bottom side Wolves last week ended a run of four straight league defeats, but it is hard to really gauge their form off that as it was only Wolves they beat.

That makes this a really tough game to predict. I don't think there are going to be loads of goals in it and I can see it ending a draw.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Tottenham v Manchester United (12:30)

• Everton v Fulham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• West Ham v Burnley - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Sunderland v Arsenal (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Wolves (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Fulham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Arsenal", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Everton welcome Fulham to Merseyside on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in an intriguing clash between two sides separated by one point in the table. BBC Sport looks at some of the key themes ahead of the fixture.

Scoring goals a problem for Everton

Everton's early-season optimism is starting to subside after just one win in eight matches across all competitions.

Monday's 1-1 draw at Sunderland encapsulated many of their recent issues. The Toffees dominated the early exchanges and took the lead with a stunning effort from Iliman Ndiaye, but they failed to capitalise on several chances before the Black Cats took control and equalised.

"I think after 30 minutes, I'd have been disappointed to be only going home with a point," said manager David Moyes after the game. "After 90 minutes I was quite pleased with a point."

Scoring has been an obvious problem for Everton this season and strikers Beto and Thierno Barry – who missed a golden chance on Monday – have just one Premier League goal between them. Top scorer Ndiaye has just four.

The result was also the 10th draw of Moyes' second spell in charge and since he returned to club in January they have registered the most of any Premier League side.

However, the Scot has an excellent personal record against Fulham and is seeking his 20th Premier League win over them in his 33rd career meeting (W19, D4, L9). Victory would make the 62-year old just the third manager to win 20 or more times against a single club in the division, following Sir Alex Ferguson, who did it against eight different teams, and Arsene Wenger, who did it against four.

Own goals lead the way for Fulham

Finding the back of the net has also been an issue for Fulham during this campaign.

The Cottagers' top scorer this season is "own goal" with three and that accounts for 25% of their top-flight total. Harry Wilson and Ryan Sessegnon are next on the list with two goals apiece, while strikers Raul Jimenez and Rodrigo Muniz have one each.

The west London side did score three times, however, in their morale-boosting triumph over Wolves last weekend, with an obligatory own goal by opposition defender Yerson Mosquera rounding off the win at Craven Cottage.

The win ended a run of four successive league defeats, but all three of their victories this season have come at home. Their last top-flight victory on the road was in May last season when they came from 2-1 down to beat Brentford 3-2 and set a new record Premier League points tally of 54.

However, Fulham have enjoyed success when travelling to face Everton in recent seasons and they are unbeaten in five previous visits. It is worth noting that each of those positive results have come at Goodison Park and this is their first trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

"It's going to be the first time, the first experience for us in that stadium," said Fulham's head coach and former Everton boss Marco Silva. "You can feel it, you can see it, that it's been very, very good for them in that aspect, and we are going to embrace the challenge of playing there against a good side."

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Moyes confirmed Iliman Ndiaye is fit and has trained as normal after the winger was withdrawn in Monday's 1-1 draw at Sunderland with cramp, having scored his fourth goal of the season earlier in the game.

• Addressing rumours linking Ndiaye with a move away, the Everton boss said it would be "wrong for teams not to talk about" forward because of the form he is in for the Toffees.

• Moyes said he was pleased with Jack Grealish's displays since his loan move from Manchester City, despite the forward missing out on an England call-up for November's World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, saying it is up to Thomas Tuchel to "decide what he wants".

• However, the Everton manager said he would like Grealish "to add to his tally of assists and score a couple of goals more" to help the club.

• Moyes admitted that attacking output from strikers Beto and Thierno Barry "hasn't been good enough" but added that the former's goals in the second half of last season were one of the main reasons why the club are still in the Premier League.

• He added: "We are putting them under pressure to score goals as well. We need to give them that confidence and belief. But they have to give some back as well because they have to show us what they can do to earn the jersey."

• Moyes also said Tyler Dibling needs to "up his levels in training" to step into the starting line-up and believes the £40m Everton paid Southampton for the 19-year-old winger in the summer "is not that big a fee in the Premier League".

• Moyes hoped the club would be "busy" in the January transfer window and will "look around to see what is possible."

• Finally, Moyes said Fulham boss Marco Silva, who had a one-and-half-year stint at Everton, has done "a brilliant job" for the Cottagers, who have build "a really good side over the past few seasons".

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary of Everton v Fulham at 15:00 on Saturday on BBC Sounds

How to follow the Premier League on the BBC this weekend

Image source, Getty Images

England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his 25-man squad for the final time this year ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

The Three Lions have already secured qualification.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle).

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

Everton, Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the other clubs interested in 20-year-old Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

With the countdown to the Celebrity Traitors final under way, we asked you which Everton player or manager - past or present - would make the best traitor and faithful.

Here are some of your comments:

Dan: Seamus Coleman would 100% be the most faithful. I imagine Jack Grealish, with his cheeky, loveable nature, could easily be a really good traitor and be able to convince others he is a faithful.

Josef: Grealish as a traitor because everyone loves him and James Tarkowski as a faithful.

Timothy: Iliman Ndiaye surely the best traitor? He would dance his way round questions and be fun and happy - completely not suspicious.

Phil: Faithful, from the current squad, has to be Captain Coleman (with an honourable mention to Jordan Pickford!). Traitor... surely someone who has made the switch across Stanley Park: Nicky Barmby? Abel 'Captain Neptune' Xavier?

Daniel: Faithful - Dixie Dean. Traitor - Nick Barmby. No explanation required for either choice!

You can watch the final of The Celebrity Traitors live from 21:00 GMT on BBC iPlayer

Image source, BBC/Studio Lambert

Challenges. Leaders and followers. Tactics. Second guessing and wondering where to turn next.

This could be any game of football in the Premier League this weekend.

It is also the plot to any episode of BBC's hit show - The Traitors.

The countdown to the end game of the Celebrity series is on, but, while we wait for that, we want to know which Everton player (or manager) - past or present - you think would make the best traitor, and who would be more suited to the role of a faithful.

Was it the way they could appear at the back post without anyone noticing? Or could they stop anybody getting past them?

Get in touch with your choices and the reasons why here

The Celebrity Traitors final will air on Thursday, 6 November on BBC One and iPlayer

Everton will not sell £70m-rated England defender Jarrad Branthwaite in January, despite interest from Manchester United in the 23-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Mike Richards
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Last night just about sums up where Everton are at the moment.

A superb opening half an hour followed by poor game management.

The opening 30 minutes was as good as Everton have played all season. Quick on the counter, with Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish very much dictating proceedings.

Ndiaye showed his quality once again, with an early goal of the season contender. It's been coming for the last few weeks. His dazzling footwork and speed across the grass was too much for Sunderland. The finish – on his wrong foot – wasn't too shabby either.

It's no secret that Everton have got issues in the striking department this season. With Beto and Thierno Barry mustering only one league goal between them, lack of goals and a cutting edge from both, is a serious problem.

The manager has elected to constantly rotate the two, with both proving more effective off the bench.

Barry will rightly be scrutinised for 'that' miss. What we'd all give for him to score a goal. His overall play was good before that moment, but he simply had to score.

His lack of confidence grows by the game and it was at that moment that both he and Everton simply imploded.

How the strikers are being managed is a concern. I'd prefer Moyes to stick with one – preferably Barry – and allow him to learn and transition to the league. He needs faith shown in him, not scorn.

Both Tyler Dibling and Merlin Rohl can count themselves incredibly unlucky to have not seen any game time again.

The McNeil introduction for Ndiaye was baffling to say the least given his lack of minutes and generally poor showing this season.

I'm sure Moyes knows something we don't, but we can't simply stumble from one game to the next with our current air of predictably.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Everton manager David Moyes cut a frustrated figure for most of the Toffees' game at Sunderland after a host of chances to help secure a confidence-boosting win went begging.

Young striker Thierno Barry made just a third Premier League start and was involved in Everton's opening goal, battling to keep possession before Iliman Ndiaye burst away to score.

But, after the £27.5m summer signing missed from close range, he was substituted for Beto in the second half - the ninth Premier League game in a row in which Moyes has felt compelled to change his centre forward.

Moyes' frustration was then compounded by his team's failure to convert a two-on-one opportunity in the final seconds, with substitute Carlos Alcaraz unable to find a pass to Idrissa Gueye, who had a clear run on goal.

The game sums up Everton's troubles this season - a failure to convert chances, rather than to create them in the first place.

Jack Grealish would have had his fifth assist of the season at the Stadium of Light had Barry converted his first-half cross from close range.

No Premier League player has created more chances from open play than Grealish this season - but Everton have netted just 10 goals, with only four teams having scored fewer.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Everton and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Luke: I would love to know where Everton would be in the table if the strikers could convert some of the chances Grealish and Ndiaye are creating week in, week out.

Richard: Not as bad as it might have been but nowhere near as good as it should have been. We desperately need a decent striker in January. If we don't get one, our creative players will wonder why they are creating chances as nobody is capable of finishing them. One goal between Beto and Barry all season is not good enough and our new found creativity is being wasted.

Keith: Shocking second half performance. I am dumbfounded how every player seemed to completely lose their composure and ability to pass the ball. I couldn't believe what I was watching.

Paul: Poor. I would ask Evertonians (one myself) if Moyes is really doing a good job? His tactics and choice of subs leave me bewildered.

Jamie: Should Moyes consider playing Tarkowski as a centre forward? Yet again against Sunderland he showed his striking prowess by getting in the way of Pickford and prodding the ball home.

Everton manager David Moyes, speaking to Sky Sports after the 1-1 draw at Sunderland: "I thought for 20, 30 minutes I would be disappointed if I go home with a point but at the end I was pleased we got a point.

"We missed a good chance to make it 2-0, then we sat back and that gave Sunderland a bit of confidence.

"We didn't manage the last 15 minutes of the first half very well and we didn't manage the second half well.

"We did all the things we hoped we would [at the start], it was a case of would we score. Iliman Ndiaye scored a very good individual goal, Jack [Grealish] hits the post and when Thierno's [Barry] chance missed we didn't have enough.

"We conceded immediately after kick-off. Goals make the difference and can change how you feel as a manager.

"Coming to Sunderland, a point is not a bad result, but after 30 minutes I was feeling 'we're alright here, we should get a result'. You could see it was a lucky goal [for Sunderland], it was a deflection but if you shoot, sometimes you get a bit of luck and they got a bit lucky.

"I'm struggling to pick out many positives from any of our football in the second half. The main thing was to not concede a second goal. It summed up the night that we could not find a pass to get that second goal.

"I wanted much more and we're capable of it. I think we have a good team, we played quite well for some periods, but not for long enough."

Did you know?

• Iliman Ndiaye has scored six goals in his last 12 Premier League appearances for Everton, which is as many as he scored in his previous 26 matches in the competition.

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have two strikers - with a combined one goal.

Beto - who has that goal - usually starts, and Barry usually comes on. This time they switched it around with Barry starting before being replaced by Beto early in the second half.

It did not make a difference.

And Barry, a £27m summer signing from Villarreal, really should have got his first goal in English football when Grealish picked him out with a cross which he skied over from inside the six-yard box.

Everton could have been two or three goals clear by then - with Grealish having hit the post earlier.

After that Barry miss it all just stopped. Their only other chance came in the closing moments through Vitalii Mykolenko.

Everton, managed by ex-Black Cats boss David Moyes, now have one win in their past eight matches.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

What did you make of Everton's display?

Come back on Tuesday for a selection of your replies

Sunderland are unchanged from the side who beat Chelsea 2-1 last time out.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Mandava, Traore, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Isidor. Subs: Patterson, Neil, Talbi, Brobbey, Rigg, Mayenda, O'Nien, Adingra, Masuaku.

• Follow the action live

One change for Everton from their 3-0 loss to Tottenham as Thierno Barry replaces Beto up top.

Everton XI: Pickford, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry. Subs: Travers, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Coleman, Alcaraz, Rohl, Aznou, Iroegbunam.