A second-half goal from Brian McBride revived Fulham's hopes of avoiding relegation as they dented Everton's Champions League bid with a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.Bitter/Sweet Sunday For Toon!
A second-half goal from Brian McBride revived Fulham's hopes of avoiding relegation as they dented Everton's Champions League bid with a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.McBride notched the decider in the 67th minute when he met a cross from Simon Davies to head past Tim Howard.
Everton's best chance was wasted by striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu three minutes before the break when his shot was well saved by Kasey Keller, while Joseph Yobo sent a powerful header just wide as the clock ticked down.
It was struggling Fulham's first victory since beating Aston Villa at the beginning of February and Roy Hodgson's side deserved to take all three points with a performance of grit and determination that Everton could not match.
The Toffees' cause was not helped by England striker Andrew Johnson's 13th-minute departure after he suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury.
Wigan also boosted their survival hopes as Emile Heskey scored his first goal for seven months to give the Latics a crucial 1-0 win in their relegation showdown with Bolton.The Latics are now six points off the drop zone, despite playing with 10 men for 86 minutes following an early controversial red card for Jason Koumas.
Heskey's 34th-minute winner ended a 20-match goal drought, before Bolton were denied an equaliser midway through the second half as referee Steve Tanner failed to spot Michael Brown's deliberate handball on the line.
After that incident, Wigan were then rarely troubled until injury-time - when Erik Edman cleared a Kevin Nolan header off the line after he had seized upon a Heskey backflick to a long throw from Ivan Campo.
WIGAN - 31
Remaining games: Blackburn (a), Portsmouth (a), Birmingham (h), Chelsea (a), Tottenham (h), Reading (h), Villa (a), Man Utd (h).
Remaining games: Blackburn (a), Portsmouth (a), Birmingham (h), Chelsea (a), Tottenham (h), Reading (h), Villa (a), Man Utd (h).
MIDDLESBROUGH - 31pts
Remaining games: Derby (h), Chelsea (a), Man Utd (h), Tottenham (a), Bolton (h), Sunderland (a), Portsmouth (h), Everton (a).
READING - 28
Remaining games: Birmingham (h), Blackburn (h), Newcastle (a), Fulham (h), Arsenal (a), Wigan (a), Tottenham (h), Derby (a).
NEWCASTLE - 28
Remaining games: Birmingham (a), Fulham (h), Tottenham (a), Reading (h), Portsmouth (a), Sunderland (h), West Ham (a), Chelsea (h), Everton (a).
SUNDERLAND - 27
Remaining games: Aston Villa (a), West Ham (h), Fulham (a), Man City (h), Newcastle (a), Middlesbrough (h), Bolton (a), Arsenal (h).
BIRMINGHAM - 26
Remaining games: Newcastle (h), Reading (a), Man City (h), Wigan (a), Everton (h), Aston Villa (a), Liverpool (h), Fulham (a), Blackburn (h).
BOLTON - 25
Remaining games: Man Utd (a), Man City (h), Arsenal (h), Aston Villa (a), West Ham (h), Middlesbrough (a), Tottenham (a), Sunderland (h), Chelsea (a).
FULHAM - 23
Remaining games: Newcastle (a), Derby (a), Sunderland (h), Reading (a), Liverpool (h), Man City (a), Birmingham (h), Portsmouth (a).