Keane's Corner Redemption Ends Fulham's Survival Hopes

Atla Futmetrix Puanı: 23/100. Everton controlled with clinical precision, but the absence of genuine jeopardy made this a procedural rather than a spectacle.

When Set Pieces Become Executioners

Goodison Park witnessed a masterclass in suffocation. Everton weaponized their Intensity through 12 corners—a relentless bombardment that turned Fulham's defense into spectators. Michael Keane, the unlikely executioner, rose at 81 minutes to seal a 2-0 verdict that felt inevitable from the opening whistle. The Balance never tilted toward genuine drama; Idrissa Gueye's 45th-minute opener had already established Everton's narrative dominance.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall orchestrated the second goal with surgical precision, his assist unlocking what Fulham's toothless attack (0.40 xG) could never threaten. The away side managed just eight shots—four on target—against an Everton team that absorbed possession equally (50-50) but converted their limited chances with ruthless efficiency. Vitaliy Mykolenko's tireless left-flank presence suffocated Fulham's width, reducing them to long-ball desperation.

The Stakes were tangible—two mid-table strugglers fighting relegation's shadow—yet the match refused to acknowledge them. Fulham's form (LWLLL) screamed crisis, but they arrived at Goodison without the urgency such circumstances demand. Everton's recent W-D-L-L-W trajectory offered no guarantee of dominance, yet they delivered a performance devoid of hesitation. Yellow cards (four total) punctuated a tame affair; no red cards, no VAR drama, no injury-time twists.

The xG gulf (1.44 vs. 0.40) told the real story: Everton's 14 shots created genuine danger, while Fulham's eight represented tactical surrender. Set-piece pressure accumulated into an inescapable vice—corners beget corners, each one another opportunity for Everton to assert Balance through structure. This wasn't chaos; it was choreography.

For neutral viewers seeking narrative tension, Goodison offered none. For Everton supporters, clinical efficiency masked deeper midtable malaise. For Fulham, this was a day when survival felt further away than the scoreline suggested.