Everton boss David Moyes emphasised the importance of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after his return from injury as he played a starring role in his side’s 2-1 comeback win at Fulham.
The visitors were all at sea in the first half, conceding through an own goal from Vitaliy Mykolenko and fortunate not to be further behind, with Jordan Pickford making two vital stops to deny Emile Smith-Rowe and Samuel Chukwueze, with both players also striking the crossbar with efforts from distance.
Everton improved after the break, producing an equaliser in the 75th minute as Mykolenko ventured deep inside the Fulham penalty area and picked out Dewsbury-Hall to stroke an effort home.
The winner would arrive in the 83rd minute as the late pressure told, with Bernd Leno flapping at a cross from a corner and inadvertently finding his own net with a miscued punch.
This extended Everton’s unbeaten run to five matches, while they are enjoying their best run without a defeat on their travels since a nine-game spell in the 2020/21 season.
Moyes is grateful to call upon the services of Dewsbury-Hall once more, with the Englishman having missed seven matches with a hamstring injury before making his return to the squad last week.
The ex-Leicester and Chelsea midfielder has scored four goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, as many as he did in his first 82 matches in the competition.
“He was doing great [prior to his injury], scoring good goals for us,” said Moyes to BBC Sport.
“He is just coming back from a hamstring injury and is just finding his way but he is finding his way in a good way for us, scoring good goals and playing well."
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Moyes is aware of the significance of the victory, which saw his side leapfrog their opponents and move right in contention for the European qualification spots, while also handing Fulham a first home defeat in two months.
He said: “I think every win in the Premier League is significant, especially against a side that have been on a really good run in good form.
“This was a tough game for us, it always has been here but thankfully we were able to turn things around and get three points."
Fulham head coach Marco Silva was left deeply disappointed with his side’s “soft” second half display, after a dominant first half which resulted in a number of opportunities to put the result beyond any doubt.
“The game at half time should have been decided,” he told BBC Sport.
“It should have been 4-0, 4-1. At this level you have to be ruthless. It was a good first half and second half was completely the opposite.
“The way we lost this afternoon should be a real learning point for us because at this level you cannot be soft and we were too soft.
“The way we defended, we are too soft."