Fulham demolition was long time coming for in-form Everton

Mar 14 2006 By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

THERE are no such things as easy games in the Premiership, but Everton came as close as you can get with a comfortable stroll against Fulham.

When you keep winning 1-0 there is no time to relax for players, coaches, managers and supporters but

Saturday was an exception, aided by the quality of two of the strikes.

It was a result that was a long time coming.

Despite the run of 1-0 wins, you always felt Everton were playing better than the narrow scorelines suggested.

After the defeat against Newcastle, they recovered to finish strongly at West Ham to take a point and carried that momentum over to Goodison Park on Saturday.

It is all about building runs of good results and with Aston Villa next up at home, manager David Moyes will be keen they keep going.

Europe may yet prove beyond them, but there is plenty of prize money at stake the higher up the league you finish, which would all help strengthen the squad in the summer.

Likewise a World Cup place may just elude in-form James Beattie.

Like Kevin Nolan at Bolton, he is hoping for a late call into Sven-Goran Eriksson's plans, but I suspect the Swede knows the majority of the players he wants to take with him.

Beattie is probably seen as a target man with Peter Crouch ahead of him in the pecking order, although a few injuries could yet disrupt the outgoing manager's plans.

Another Everton player hoping to win a belated call to World Cup duty would be Spain's Mikel Arteta.

He arrived at Everton with bags of ability but has added some fire in his belly. Perhaps he has been getting changed next to Tim Cahill!

• Mark Lawrenson was talking to RICHARD WILLIAMSON