Idrissa Gueye is confident that Dwight McNeil will bounce back after his move to Crystal Palace from Everton collapsed at the final hour on Deadline Day.
Palace had agreed a loan deal with an obligation for a £20m purchase for McNeil, who had fallen down the pecking order under David Moyes.
However, even though a deal sheet was submitted to the Premier League to grant Palace two extra hours to complete the deal, the transfer collapsed due to paperwork not being completed in time.
The 26-year-old, who joined the Blues from Burnley four years ago, is believed to have been offered a deal until 2030 and had undergone a medical with Oliver Glasner's side.
"I am very happy to have him back personally," Gueye told Sky Sports News. "Dwight is a great lad and he works hard.
“He has a lot of quality and was a really important player for us in the last few years when we were battling relegation. He is an important player for us.
"What happened to him? Hopefully, he will just put it to the side, and we will be there to welcome him, to make him comfortable.
"He just needs to work hard. He is still important to us, everyone is important in this team."
McNeil's partner, Megan Sharpley, also commented on the situation, suggesting that Palace had toyed with the midfielder's mental health.
Still one of us and a big few months ahead. Everyone at Everton is behind you, Dwight. pic.twitter.com/4SSLIMHROQ
— Everton (@Everton) February 3, 2026
McNeil will be hoping to put his transfer saga behind him when Everton make the trip to Craven Cottage this weekend to take on European-chasing Fulham.
Fulham slipped to ninth in the Premier League after falling to a late defeat to Manchester United, with Benjamin Sesko striking a 94th-minute winner for Michael Carrick's side.
And though only seven points off the top four, Fulham boss Marco Silva was not focused on securing the club European football for the first time since 2011-12.
"We are in a race to be better every single moment. That is the main thing – to improve ourselves as a team," Silva said.
But for midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, he was left frustrated by his side conceding late at Old Trafford, having seen Kevin net an equaliser in the first minute of stoppage time.
"Really frustrating. I thought the boys fought really hard to get back into the game. It's a bit annoying to concede straight after equalising," Smith Rowe added.
"We have to stick together at this moment in time. Coming here [Old Trafford], we knew it was going to be tough. We have to go again and stick together."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Raul Jimenez
Raul Jimenez has scored six Premier League goals this season – the only player aged 34+ to score more in a season for the Cottagers is Brian McBride in 2006-07 (nine).
His last four goals have been scored in minutes ending in five (45th, 85th, 55th, 85th), with only Manchester City's Phil Foden scoring five goals in a row in minutes ending in the same number (45th, 45th, 15th, 85th, 25th between November 2022 and May 2023).
Everton – James Garner
Despite being linked with a move away from the club, James Garner has remained on Merseyside, which is a plus for Everton, with the midfielder one of their standout performers so far this season.
Indeed, Garner leads all Everton players for possession won (125), tackles (74) and interceptions (35) in the Premier League this term, while league wide he is fourth for possession won, joint-second for tackles and third for interceptions.
MATCH PREDICTION: FULHAM WIN
Fulham won each of their first seven Premier League home games against Everton, and eight of the first nine (L1). Since then, they have won just one of their nine against the Toffees at Craven Cottage (D4 L4).
But the Cottagers have impressed at home. Only the current top-three sides in the top flight have more home wins this season than Fulham (seven in 12 games), who have already equalled their total from last season (W7 D5 L7). Only in 2005-06 (68%, won 13/19) do they have a better home win percentage than in 2025-26 (58%).
And that should favour them this weekend. Of all Premier League fixtures to be played 30+ times, Everton vs Fulham has the highest percentage of home wins (65% – 24 home wins from 37 games).
However, following their 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in November, Everton are looking to complete their league double over Fulham since the 2013-14 campaign.
Everton have also conceded just 11 goals in 12 away Premier League games this season, with only Arsenal conceding fewer on the road (nine). It is the first time they have conceded fewer than a goal per game away from home since 2008-09 (17 in 19 games).
But since Moyes' first game back in charge of Everton in January last year, the Toffees have drawn more Premier League games than anyone else (14), drawing three of their last four (W1).
Everton do, however, rank sixth for points won since the Scotsman returned (65), winning 17 more points in these 43 games than they did in their previous 43 games before he returned (48).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 45.3%
Draw – 26.9%
Everton – 27.8%