Moyes Seeks Enhanced Contributions From Alcaraz And McNeil Ahead Of Fulham Clash

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David Moyes is eager to see more from Carlos Alcaraz and Dwight McNeil as Everton's season nears its end. The Toffees are set to face Fulham on Saturday, aiming to recover from a streak of three Premier League games without a win. Everton have managed just one victory in their last 10 matches, following a 2-2 draw against already-relegated Ipswich Town last week.

Everton had taken a 2-0 lead thanks to first-half goals from Beto and McNeil. Beto scored with a header from an excellent cross by Alcaraz, while McNeil netted a long-range left-footed shot. This was Alcaraz's fifth start since his January loan move from Flamengo, and McNeil has recently returned after a long injury break.

Fulham's top scorer this season is Raul Jimenez with 10 goals, closely followed by former Everton player Alex Iwobi with nine. Iwobi also contributed six assists in the league and scored in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park. Under Marco Silva, Iwobi has found his form, having previously played under him at Everton.

Beto's performance against Ipswich has strengthened his position in Everton's attack, especially with Dominic Calvert-Lewin back fit. Beto also scored a late equaliser when these teams met earlier in the season, showcasing his value to the team.

Everton have drawn 15 Premier League games this season. The last team to draw more in one campaign was Sunderland in 2014-15 with 17 draws. Fulham have not drawn any of their last 15 Premier League matches (W7 L8), marking their longest run without a draw since their final 19 games of the 2018-19 season (W5 L14).

Fulham are unbeaten in their last six Premier League encounters against Everton (W3 D3). Previously, they only avoided defeat in six of their prior 20 meetings with the Toffees (W4 D2 L14). Despite losing their first seven away games against Fulham, Everton have lost only two of their last 10 visits to Craven Cottage (W4 D4).

Current Standings and Prospects

While Everton sit comfortably mid-table, aiming for their best finish since the 2020-21 season, Fulham are still vying for European qualification. However, their hopes were dented by a loss to Aston Villa last week. Marco Silva's side is currently 11th on 51 points but only two points behind Bournemouth in eighth place.

Moyes expressed satisfaction with Alcaraz's performance after the Ipswich match: "I'm really pleased because I think with Charly we know and we're trying to give him the opportunity to show what he can do." He also commented on McNeil's progress: "Dwight, I've not had since I've been here. He's been injured since I arrived and he's not quite been up to the intensity of the speed of training and the games."

Moyes noted that McNeil improved significantly in the second half against Ipswich: "I actually thought in the first half he still wasn't there, even though he scored his goal; then in the second half I thought he did better and put in two or three brilliant crosses for us." These opportunities are crucial if Everton aims to secure victories.

The Opta win probability suggests Fulham have a higher chance of winning at 51.1%, compared to Everton's 23.7%, while there's a 25.2% chance of a draw.