LONDON: Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored after just 42 seconds as Everton ended their losing Premier League run with a 3-2 win at Fulham, while injury-ravaged Liverpool prepared for their crucial clash with Leicester City on Sunday.
Calvert-Lewin maintained his fine form to put Carlo Ancelotti’s side ahead inside a minute at Craven Cottage.
Bobby Decordova-Reid equalised for Fulham, but England striker Calvert-Lewin netted again and Abdoulaye Doucoure got Everton’s third before half-time.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek reduced the deficit in the second half, but Everton held on to win for the first time in five league games.
After a three-game losing streak dented their bid to finish in the top four, Everton are up to sixth place. Everton made the perfect start when Richarlison advanced into the Fulham area before whipping over a low cross that Calvert-Lewin bundled in for 12th goal of the season.
Fulham equalised in the 15th minute when Tom Cairney’s pass picked out Decordova-Reid and he eased clear of Yerry Mina to fire in.
Everton hit back as Calvert-Lewin netted again in the 29th minute from Lucas Digne’ cross.
Digne was the provider once more in the 35th minute when his cross was headed home by Doucoure.
Ben Godfrey gave away a 68th minute penalty with a trip on Loftus-Cheek.
Ademola Lookman had missed embarrassingly from the spot against West Ham in Fulham’s previous game, so Ivan Cavaleiro stepped up, but the winger slipped as he took his kick and the ball flew high over the bar.
Loftus-Cheek got one back in the 70th minute when he met Lookman’s pass with a shot that deflected in off Mina.
Fulham remain one place above the relegation zone after their third defeat in four games.
Bottom of the table Sheffield United’s wait for their first win this season goes on after they were beaten 1-0 by West Ham United at Bramall Lane.
Chris Wilder’s side have lost eight of their nine league games, shattering the feelgood factor after last season’s impressive first campaign back in the top-flight.
Sebastien Haller broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with his first goal since September.
When Pablo Fornals’ blocked effort ricocheted to Haller just outside the area, the Ivory Coast striker unleashed a fierce shot that flashed into the roof of the net.
It was Haller’s first goal from outside the area in 190 games across the Eredivisie, Bundesliga and Premier League combined.
Declan Rice headed against the bar as West Ham looked for a second, but Oli McBurnie was inches away from equalising when he crashed a left-footed strike off the woodwork.
The game of the day is at Anfield, where Leicester would replace Tottenham Hotspur on top of the table if they can beat champions Liverpool, who will climb to second with a victory.
Already rocked by the long-term injury to Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool’s defensive resources were further depleted during the international break with Joe Gomez ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is out for a further two weeks, while Jordan Henderson is an injury doubt after picking up a muscle strain on international duty.
Top scorer Mohamed Salah will also be missing after testing positive for coronavirus while in Egypt.
There is a huge opportunity for former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers to become the first man to lead a visiting side to a league win at Anfield since April 2017 with no such injury concerns for the third placed Foxes.
Jamie Vardy’s retirement from England duty means Leicester’s top scorer has had two weeks off, while Rodgers could have full-backs Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne back from injury.
In Sunday’s other game, Leeds host Arsenal.On Saturday Tottenham moved top of the standings after an impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester City while Manchester United secured their first home win of the campaign.
Jose Mourinho’s Spurs, unbeaten in their last eight games, have 20 points from nine matches while Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are on 18 points after their 2-0 win at Newcastle.Pep Guardiola’s City slipped to 11th with United’s victory moving them above their local rivals to ninth.
Spurs now fully look like a Mourinho team, solid at the back, hard-working in midfield and deadly on the break and that was enough to beat a City team who have managed just 10 goals in nine games.
Son Heung-min’s prolific form continued, the South Korean opening the scoring in the fifth minute with his ninth goal of the season.
A beautifully weighted pass from Tanguy Ndombele picked out Son’s perfectly timed run and the striker kept his cool to slip the ball through the legs of the advancing Ederson.
Harry Kane for Spurs and Aymeric Laporte for City both had goals disallowed before substitute Giovani lo Celso settled the match just 35 seconds after coming off the bench.A twice-taken penalty from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, their first Premier League win at Old Trafford this season.
Fernandes’s first effort was saved by West Brom keeper Sam Johnstone but the referee ordered the kick be re-taken after ruling the keeper had come off his line and the Portuguese midfielder made no mistake with the second attempt.
Winless West Brom’s frustration was doubled by the fact that the penalty came eight minutes after they had a spot-kick award overturned after review.
Brighton & Hove Albion won at Aston Villa for the first time with an enthralling 2-1 victory.
Solly March grabbed the winner with a lovely finish after Ezri Konsas equaliser had cancelled out Danny Welbeck’s first goal for Brighton, a clever chip.
There was late drama, however, when Brighton full back Tariq Lamptey was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time and Villa had a penalty overturned after the referee rescinded his decision having viewed the monitor.
