Everton warmed up for their FA Cup Final against Chelsea next weekend with a 2-0 win at Fulham, who still qualified for the Europa League despite Sunday's defeat.

Leon Osman's goals in either half at Craven Cottage were tough on Fulham, but Roy Hodgson's team had cause to celebrate anyway as Tottenham’s failure to beat Liverpool ensured they can dig out their passports for next season's European adventure.

As if that wasn't reason enough to break out the champagne, Fulham were also toasting their highest league finish in their 130-year history.

A seventh-placed finish marks a drastic turnaround from last year's final day of the season where Fulham won 1-0 at Portsmouth to secure their Premier League status.

Having escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth, this season Hodgson has turned Fulham into a solid outfit capable of beating the best, especially at Craven Cottage.

It is an achievement which has won Hodgson many plaudits and his name is now deservedly in the running to be crowned Manager of the Year.

While Hodgson's tenure at Fulham stretches to 17 months, Everton's David Moyes has been at the club for over seven years.

In that time he has steadied the ship and transformed the Toffees into silverware contenders. And they have the carrot of an FA Cup Final next weekend to look forward to at Wembley.

Maybe that looming Cup Final accounted for Moyes' decision to rest the instrumental Marouane Fellaini.

Instead, former Fulham striker Louis Saha was handed a starting berth on the pitch he scored so many goals - also a ground which has been a source of frustration for Everton as they had not claimed a point here in 43 years.

It was Saha who nearly opened the scoring inside four minutes when his header from 12 yards struck the crossbar.

At the other end Zoltan Gera played in Erik Nevland but narrowly scuffed his effort wide of Tim Howard's post.

The American goalkeeper then needed to be on guard to save from Gera after Paul Konchesky's cross caught out the Everton defence.

But Everton slowly edged their way back into the match and Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer needed to be at full-stretch to deny Saha.

But the stopper was powerless in preventing Everton take the lead on the stroke of half-time. South Africa's Steven Pienaar played in Osman, who rounded Schwarzer before coolly slotting home.

Fulham started the second-half with the same enthusiasm with which they began this match, with the impressive Gera proving to be a thorn in Everton's side.

However, Saha provided a timely reminder of the sharpness which earned him his move to Old Trafford with a neat header which Schwarzer turned around the post.

Fulham continued to press for an equaliser and substitute Bobby Zamora squandered a hat-full of chances to draw them level.

American international Clint Dempsey and Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara looked to capitalise on a suspect Everton defence which is seriously lacking the calming influence of the injured Phil Jagielka.

But Fulham were caught by a sucker-punch when Osman picked up a loose ball before surging forward and curling a wonderful effort past Schwarzer with two minutes remaining.

AFP

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