Marco Silva has experienced nothing but triumph since his return to Goodison Park with Fulham. He was poised to maintain a perfect record against the club that dismissed him in December 2019, with Alex Iwobi also making a memorable return to haunt Everton. However, substitute Beto managed to secure an improbable draw for Sean Dyche’s side.

Iwobi illuminated an otherwise unremarkable evening with a superb opening goal, set up by Emile Smith Rowe. This seemed to be just the reward Fulham deserved and looked set to extend their winning streak at Goodison. Yet, Beto, part of an unexpected duo up front with Michael Keane for Everton, beat the seldom-tested Bernd Leno with a 94th-minute header.

Fulham has undeniably had the upper hand over Everton in recent years. After losing their first 14 visits to Goodison Park, the Cottagers have won the last three league encounters here, plus a Carabao Cup tie on penalties. Silva’s team once again made life challenging for the hosts, dominating possession early on and cutting off Everton’s supply lines. However, the first half-hour was a drab affair, with Raúl Jiménez’s weak shot being the only noteworthy incident.

A mistake, rather than a moment of brilliance, ignited the game into a semblance of life. Vitaliy Mykolenko’s error allowed Andreas Pereira to seize possession near the area, enabling Jiménez to release Adama Traoré. Pickford managed to block Traoré’s angled shot, but Fulham maintained the pressure. Pereira’s cross found Jiménez, whose header across goal was met by Smith Rowe, whose volley sailed high over the bar.

Everton believed they had taken the lead when Idrissa Gueye’s long-range shot hit the underside of Leno’s crossbar, and Calvert-Lewin converted the rebound. However, he was flagged offside, and VAR confirmed the assistant’s decision. Leno then saved a Dwight McNeil header, while Iwobi missed a chance at the other end from a deep Traoré cross.

Both McNeil and Iwobi had missed opportunities, but the latter made amends with a decisive goal that gave Fulham a lead they deserved. The visitors’ performance was not particularly impressive, but it was better than Everton’s.

The breakthrough came out of context with the match. Smith Rowe orchestrated it with a powerful run from the halfway line, evading three lackluster Everton challenges. He passed to Iwobi, who was treated casually by the Everton defense. Iwobi responded with a precise, powerful shot inside Pickford’s near post. His celebrations were restrained, but a beaming smile revealed his satisfaction.

Fulham seemed destined for a well-deserved victory, restoring momentum after defeats to Manchester City and Aston Villa. Everton struggled to respond. However, four minutes into injury time, with the home crowd frustrated by Dyche’s substitutions and the team’s lack of creativity, Everton conjured an unlikely equalizer.

Iliman Ndiaye was one of the few to trouble the Fulham defense, and his deep cross led to the equalizer. Ashley Young’s brilliant volley across goal found Beto, who headed home his first league goal of the season. Everton’s unbeaten run extended to five matches, but for Silva, this felt like a defeat.

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