Alcaraz comes to the fore to inspire Blues fightback

As they sang his name, Carlos Alcaraz placed his hand on the Everton badge and saluted the away end. He deserved the deafening applause that his gesture was met with.

- By JOE THOMAS

Everton face a seismic, era-shifting summer. The squad will be overhauled and the first team will move from historic Goodison Park to its stunning, shiny new home on the banks of the Mersey.

In west London, on the banks of the Thames, Alcaraz produced a display that may ensure he is part of the bright new future that beckons.

David Moyes has not been completely convinced by the Argentine starlet but under the sunshine at Fulham it was his fight, perseverance and energy that was the catalyst for an unlikely win.

This game already felt like it was done as it headed into first half stoppage time.

An underwhelming away performance looked set to send another sensational away end home in frustration as Everton trailed to Raul Jimenez's early goal and Jordan Pickford's goal was peppered with shots by a side chasing European qualification.

The long ball that drifted above Beto's head in those final seconds before the break was symbolic of a disappointing 45 minutes from Everton.

What was not, was the determination and drive shown by Alcaraz to chase down the second ball.

A lost cause in a game drifting towards the break the 22-year-old not only gave chase, he won it, stealing possession from a surprised Andreas Pereira and surging towards goal.

His effort was pushed behind by Bernd Leno but it paved the way for an undeserved equaliser as the resulting corner found its way Vitalii Mykolenko on the edge of the area.

Last week, Everton conceded a goal from nowhere to give Ipswich Town a foothold at Goodison.