Forgotten Leeds United loanee Dan James gave his parent club a huge survival boost with his first Premier League goal in five months. The Fulham winger killed the contest at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon after scoring the final goal in the Cottagers' 3-1 victory over Everton.
Harrison Reed fired the visitors in front, only for Dwight McNeil to pull Sean Dyche's side level ahead of the break. However, Fulham made their second-half superiority count as they regained the lead through Harry Wilson before James' goal made the victory safe.
The loanee was handed a start as a makeshift striker in the absence of the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic, with Andreas Pereira, Willian and Wilson in supporting roles. It is a role the Wales international fulfilled on several occasions at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa, and the 25-year-old delivered after latching on to a long free-kick and guiding the ball past Jordan Pickford.
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Reflecting on his side's attack without Mitrovic, Fulham boss Marco Silva told BBC Sport: "We wanted to be more direct in some moments, to attack more in behind, to have more agile players to attack their backline. Harry Wilson and DJ [James] did it really well, and the quality of Willian on the other side gives us the chance to mix our game well."
The result means Everton remain two points adrift of Leeds and just one place above the relegation zone, having played a game more than the Whites. Javi Gracia's side return to action on Monday night at home to Liverpool, hoping to quickly bounce back from the heavy defeat to Crystal Palace in their last outing.
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