Everton 1-3 Fulham: Second-half slump adds to hosts' relegation worries
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Former Liverpool winger Harry Wilson scored Fulham's second at Goodison Park as they ended a run of five straight defeats
Everton's hopes of Premier League survival suffered a blow as they were beaten by Fulham at Goodison Park and Sean Dyche has warned his players they cannot "revert" to reacting so poorly to setbacks.
Harrison Reed put the visitors - who ended a run of five successive defeats - ahead midway through the first half with a composed finish after Harry Wilson's curling shot had come back off the post.
The home side responded well though, levelling through Dwight McNeil's low drive 13 minutes later and ending the half in the ascendancy.
Dyche's team began the second half quickly, too, but Fulham went ahead against the run of play on 51 minutes as Willian picked out Wilson with a lovely cushioned pass and the former Liverpool winger confidently found the corner.
Stunned by the goal, Everton lost their way and Daniel James extended Fulham's lead after 68 minutes, racing onto Kenny Tete's long ball and slotting past Jordan Pickford in the home goal.
"The mentality has been really good and there has been a shift since I've been here," Dyche told BBC Match of the Day.
"We don't want it to revert back to that feeling from before we got here, and there was a sign of that today - people dipping too quickly. We want that bravery to take games on.
"I reminded the players that no one gives you anything, don't think they will because they won't.
"We should react to that a lot better and we have done generally. But these are important times so we've got to make sure we correct that very quickly."
Fulham could have scored more before Everton belatedly - and briefly - stirred again and attempted to rally late on.
However, Marco Silva's side held on comfortably and the result leaves Everton in 17th, above the drop zone only on goal difference.
Everton 1-3 Fulham: Sean Dyche disappointed with side's mentality
No home comforts for Everton
Since Dyche's appointment, it is Everton's home form that has given them hope in their battle against relegation with wins over Arsenal, Leeds and Brentford as well as a last-gasp draw against Tottenham.
Those points may be vital come the end of the season, but aside from 15 minutes either side of half-time, there was little of the fight or intensity that led to those results as they succumbed to a Fulham side sat comfortably in midtable and in the midst of their worst run of the season.
Neither side offered much in a scrappy beginning but it was Fulham who provided the greater threat in the lead up to their opening goal.
The Blues took the knock well and should have been level through Neal Maupay, making a rare start, but the striker's close-range header was kept out by Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno - albeit replays showed it may have been offside in any case.
The equaliser did come three minutes later, McNeil collecting James Garner's pass, slipping past Reed and arrowing the shot into the bottom corner to rouse a sunbathed Goodison Park.
Dwight McNeil's fourth Premier League goal of the season drew Everton level
In the 10 minutes before the break, it was all Everton and Maupay had the chance to put them in front after a one-two with McNeil, only to be thwarted by Leno again.
A bright start to the second half, in which McNeil's mishit cross hit the outside of the post, kept the home crowd's decibel level up but the energy of both fans and home players evaporated after Wilson's goal.
"We've had some tough knocks and come back against Chelsea and Tottenham but they're different games and a different feel in the stadium," Dyche said.
"These are the clinchers, these are the ones where we've got to change the mentality.
"We've been working hard - and the players have been delivering - to change that cycle. We stepped away from that today so we need to get a grip of that this week and go down to Crystal Palace with the right frame of mind."
Having fought back once, Everton seemed to lack the belief that they could do so again. James got Fulham's third and even with more than 20 minutes to go, both sides seemed sure the game was over as a contest.
With seven games to go, Dyche's side cannot afford to repeat the sort of listless performance they delivered for much of this game - and certainly not at home.
Fulham break losing streak
After such a positive season, it had been a tough few weeks for Fulham with five defeats on the bounce, including a very public implosion at Manchester United that left them without top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic for eight matches.
That run may have seen them slip out of contention for European qualification but it is hard to think that there is anyone associated with the west London club who would not have been thrilled with the prospect of sitting pretty in 10th at this stage of the campaign.
Nevertheless, losing can be a tough habit to break and in ending their winless streak, Fulham took a big step towards ensuring such an encouraging season does not end with a whimper.
Cottagers manager Silva was sat in the stands as he completed his touchline ban to see his current side outplay his former team for long spells.
"Many, many positives to take from the game. We were clearly the best team on the pitch," Silva told Match of the Day.
"We came from a bad run and, of course, we had to show the personality and character to turn things again.
"We changed some things, played with a different profile of striker and Daniel James played a very good game. The players deserve all the credit for the win.
"We have to be really proud of our season so far. Bad spells can happen for a club like us in the Premier League but, of course, we don't want it but it's part of the process and we have to keep working really hard.
"We have 42 points, by the end of February we had 39, it's a big achievement for this football club and we have to keep going."
Reed buzzed around relentlessly in midfield alongside Joao Palhinha while further forward Willian, seemingly always in space, threatened throughout, James was a constant nuisance to the Everton defence and, buoyed by his goal, Wilson's quality was clear as Fulham overwhelmed their hosts at times in the second half.
In this most enjoyable of seasons for Fulham, this was an afternoon to savour in the Merseyside sunshine.
Everton 1-3 Fulham: Marco Silva praises Dan James' performance as a striker
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