Everton produced a stunning display of attacking football to bring their European dream a step nearer after battering relegation-haunted Fulham into 4-1 submission at Goodison Park.
Everton have now lost just two of their last 14 Premiership games and produced their biggest league victory of the campaign.
And it was boss David Moyes' bright young strikers who stole the show. James Vaughan and substitute Victor Anichebe - both 18 - each scored in the rout and Vaughan won a standing ovation for his all-action display.
Unlucky Anichebe was forced to limp off with a calf problem, but that was the only blot on a powerful display by the Toffees who are now up to fifth place in the Premiership.
Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs scored their first goals of the season before the youngsters got in on the act.
But for Fulham boss Chris Coleman it certainly was a long Good Friday as he saw his side cut to shreds.
It had all started so well for the west Londoners, Carlos Bocanegra putting them ahead early on before they were overpowered by Everton's onslaught.
Everton boss Moyes named an unchanged side from the one that drew at Aston Villa on Monday, as the increasingly impressive Vaughan got another run-out up front, while James McFadden returned to the bench after an eight game absence.
Fulham were without injured trio Franck Queudrue, Papa Bouba Diop and Ian Pearce. Moritz Volz, Zat Knight and Wayne Routledge came in.
And they started well in attack, even though they were soon to be conceding goals at regular intervals.
Early long-range efforts from Liam Rosenior and Alexey Smertin, both over the top, encouraged Fulham.
But Everton almost scored with their first effort, exposing gaping holes in the Fulham's back line.
Joseph Yobo's long ball found Mikel Arteta in yards of space on the left, and his fierce angled drive was only half stopped by Antti Niemi, the ball bouncing off his chest to safety.
Former Everton man Brian McBride then caught Carsley in the face with a stray arm. He apologised immediately, but the Irish midfielder was led away with blood pouring from a cut above an eye.
He returned heavily bandaged and with a completely clean kit. In his absence, Vaughan had turned on a Phil Neville long throw to fire in a shot that Niemi held.
Then on 22 minutes Fulham took the lead, following a curling corner from another ex-Everton man, Simon Davies. The ball swirled into the box and Bocanegra rose to head home unchallenged from the six yard line.
That was all the inspiration Everton needed, and they then scored three in 20 minutes.
They hit back three minutes later, that man Carsley arriving on the near post to stab home a Joleon Lescott low cross after Phil Neville had put the full-back clear on the left.
And on 34 minutes Everton were ahead. A rather fortunate free-kick after Michael Brown had put the ball out of play before colliding with Arteta, resulted in the Spanish midfielder curling the ball into the box for Stubbs to send a header just inside the far post.
Two minutes from the break another run and cross from Lescott saw Vaughan hit the post from six yards out. But a minute later the youngster was on the scoresheet when he hooked home an Arteta cross.
Vaughan continued to cause all sorts of problems for the Fulham defence with his determination and selfless running.
Almost two years ago he became Everton's youngster-ever player and scorer at 16 years and 271 days, now after losing 14 months of his career to a serious knee injury he is underlining that early potential.
But it was Fulham who almost pulled one back when Rosenior's cross was headed inches wide by McBride.
Then Knight sent a header fizzing just over from a Wayne Routledge free-kick on the left, before Davies saw a flicked header held by Tim Howard. There was still spirit in the Fulham ranks.
But Everton were not to be denied an emphatic victory. Andrew Johnson picked up a painful blow to his knee, but still managed to fire in a header that Niemi tipped over.
Then Johnson set up Vaughan for a fierce drive which was beaten away by the Fulham keeper.
Vaughan received a standing ovation as he was substituted with 12 minutes left by another of Everton's bright young strikers in Anichebe.
And he did not waste much time in getting on the scoresheet.
Two minutes after his arrival, and following a fine cross-field ball to Arteta, he was perfectly placed to drill home the low pass from the Spaniard, much to Vaughan's delight on the bench.
Moyes now believes European qualification is in their own hands.
Carlos Bocanegra's opened the scoring for Fulham but Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs got their first goals of the campaign in the first half before youngster James Vaughan made it three just before the break.
Another teenager Victor Anichebe rifled home the fourth with 10 minutes to go after coming on as substitute.
"There is so much confidence from the side, so many of the players have hit top form at the same time," said Moyes.
"Even when we conceded that early goal it did not dampen our spirits. There is so much belief and it is becoming a real team effort.
"The fact, too, that we are doing this without Tim Cahill, who has been such an important goalscorer for us says it all.
"People like Alan Stubbs and Lee Carsley got their first goals of the season and the kids, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe were excellent, both scoring good goals."
He added: "A club like ours should be contesting for a European place every season, and we know we are getting closer. I suppose we will finish in the top 10 now, so we have to keep winning to make sure we reach our objective.
"As for the two teenagers, they play without any fear. They are so young they don't really know what it is all about yet, so there is a complete freedom about them."
The one serious problem for Moyes was that goalkeeper Richard Wright jarred his knee in the warm-up and had to be replaced by John Ruddy.
Moyes will assess the situation tomorrow and could recall Iain Turner from Sheffield Wednesday if Wright is likely to be out for any length of time.
Fulham boss Chris Coleman saw his side dragged closer to the relegation drop zone but he remained confident the west Londoners will escape.
He said: "We need that next three points. We have gone seven now without a win and the longer it goes the more difficult it will become.
"But I cannot ask for any more from the lads. They are giving everything, going for every ball and nobody is hiding.
"The fans who travelled up with us could see that, they supported the side throughout and never stopped encouraging. That pleases me, and if we can keep that sort of support going, we'll be okay.
"I will make sure the team keep giving everything in response to the way the fans are backing us."
And it was boss David Moyes' bright young strikers who stole the show. James Vaughan and substitute Victor Anichebe - both 18 - each scored in the rout and Vaughan won a standing ovation for his all-action display.
Unlucky Anichebe was forced to limp off with a calf problem, but that was the only blot on a powerful display by the Toffees who are now up to fifth place in the Premiership.
Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs scored their first goals of the season before the youngsters got in on the act.
But for Fulham boss Chris Coleman it certainly was a long Good Friday as he saw his side cut to shreds.
It had all started so well for the west Londoners, Carlos Bocanegra putting them ahead early on before they were overpowered by Everton's onslaught.
Everton boss Moyes named an unchanged side from the one that drew at Aston Villa on Monday, as the increasingly impressive Vaughan got another run-out up front, while James McFadden returned to the bench after an eight game absence.
Fulham were without injured trio Franck Queudrue, Papa Bouba Diop and Ian Pearce. Moritz Volz, Zat Knight and Wayne Routledge came in.
And they started well in attack, even though they were soon to be conceding goals at regular intervals.
Early long-range efforts from Liam Rosenior and Alexey Smertin, both over the top, encouraged Fulham.
But Everton almost scored with their first effort, exposing gaping holes in the Fulham's back line.
Joseph Yobo's long ball found Mikel Arteta in yards of space on the left, and his fierce angled drive was only half stopped by Antti Niemi, the ball bouncing off his chest to safety.
Former Everton man Brian McBride then caught Carsley in the face with a stray arm. He apologised immediately, but the Irish midfielder was led away with blood pouring from a cut above an eye.
He returned heavily bandaged and with a completely clean kit. In his absence, Vaughan had turned on a Phil Neville long throw to fire in a shot that Niemi held.
Then on 22 minutes Fulham took the lead, following a curling corner from another ex-Everton man, Simon Davies. The ball swirled into the box and Bocanegra rose to head home unchallenged from the six yard line.
That was all the inspiration Everton needed, and they then scored three in 20 minutes.
They hit back three minutes later, that man Carsley arriving on the near post to stab home a Joleon Lescott low cross after Phil Neville had put the full-back clear on the left.
And on 34 minutes Everton were ahead. A rather fortunate free-kick after Michael Brown had put the ball out of play before colliding with Arteta, resulted in the Spanish midfielder curling the ball into the box for Stubbs to send a header just inside the far post.
Two minutes from the break another run and cross from Lescott saw Vaughan hit the post from six yards out. But a minute later the youngster was on the scoresheet when he hooked home an Arteta cross.
Vaughan continued to cause all sorts of problems for the Fulham defence with his determination and selfless running.
Almost two years ago he became Everton's youngster-ever player and scorer at 16 years and 271 days, now after losing 14 months of his career to a serious knee injury he is underlining that early potential.
But it was Fulham who almost pulled one back when Rosenior's cross was headed inches wide by McBride.
Then Knight sent a header fizzing just over from a Wayne Routledge free-kick on the left, before Davies saw a flicked header held by Tim Howard. There was still spirit in the Fulham ranks.
But Everton were not to be denied an emphatic victory. Andrew Johnson picked up a painful blow to his knee, but still managed to fire in a header that Niemi tipped over.
Then Johnson set up Vaughan for a fierce drive which was beaten away by the Fulham keeper.
Vaughan received a standing ovation as he was substituted with 12 minutes left by another of Everton's bright young strikers in Anichebe.
And he did not waste much time in getting on the scoresheet.
Two minutes after his arrival, and following a fine cross-field ball to Arteta, he was perfectly placed to drill home the low pass from the Spaniard, much to Vaughan's delight on the bench.
Moyes now believes European qualification is in their own hands.
Carlos Bocanegra's opened the scoring for Fulham but Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs got their first goals of the campaign in the first half before youngster James Vaughan made it three just before the break.
Another teenager Victor Anichebe rifled home the fourth with 10 minutes to go after coming on as substitute.
"There is so much confidence from the side, so many of the players have hit top form at the same time," said Moyes.
"Even when we conceded that early goal it did not dampen our spirits. There is so much belief and it is becoming a real team effort.
"The fact, too, that we are doing this without Tim Cahill, who has been such an important goalscorer for us says it all.
"People like Alan Stubbs and Lee Carsley got their first goals of the season and the kids, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe were excellent, both scoring good goals."
He added: "A club like ours should be contesting for a European place every season, and we know we are getting closer. I suppose we will finish in the top 10 now, so we have to keep winning to make sure we reach our objective.
"As for the two teenagers, they play without any fear. They are so young they don't really know what it is all about yet, so there is a complete freedom about them."
The one serious problem for Moyes was that goalkeeper Richard Wright jarred his knee in the warm-up and had to be replaced by John Ruddy.
Moyes will assess the situation tomorrow and could recall Iain Turner from Sheffield Wednesday if Wright is likely to be out for any length of time.
Fulham boss Chris Coleman saw his side dragged closer to the relegation drop zone but he remained confident the west Londoners will escape.
He said: "We need that next three points. We have gone seven now without a win and the longer it goes the more difficult it will become.
"But I cannot ask for any more from the lads. They are giving everything, going for every ball and nobody is hiding.
"The fans who travelled up with us could see that, they supported the side throughout and never stopped encouraging. That pleases me, and if we can keep that sort of support going, we'll be okay.
"I will make sure the team keep giving everything in response to the way the fans are backing us."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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