Bassey absence costly: Fulham concede two as Iwobi, Chukwueze suffer shock home loss vs Everton

Craven Cottage was a scene of disbelief on Saturday as Fulham surrendered a lead to fall 1–2 ag​ainst Everton in the Premier League, with Super Eagles duo Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze in action.

Despite a commanding opening 70 minutes fuelled by the creativity of Iwobi and the flair of Chukwueze, the London side collapsed late, sparking intense debate over the continued exclusion of defensive stalwart Calvin Bassey.

For the second consecutive week, Marco Silva opted to leave Calvin Bassey on the bench, favoring Jorge Cuenca in the heart of the defense. 

The decision has immediately come under fire; following the 3–2 loss to Manchester United last week, Fulham have now conceded five goals in two games without the Nigerian powerhouse in the starting XI.

While Fulham looked comfortable for the first 75 minutes, they lacked Bassey’s signature recovery speed and physical authority when Everton began their late-game surge. 

The collapse was punctuated in the 83rd minute by a chaotic winning goal, an own goal by Bernd Leno, who fumbled a corner under pressure. 

Many supporters anoted that a dominant aerial presence like Bassey would likely have cleared the danger before the keeper was ever compromised.

Facing his former employers, Iwobi was the undisputed architect of Fulham’s early dominance. The midfielder was the engine room for the Cottagers, orchestrating the opening goal in the 18th minute. 

His pinpoint cross caused havoc in the Everton box, eventually resulting in a Vitalii Mykolenko own goal. Iwobi created two chances and covered immense ground, but his performance ended in visible frustration. 

Despite his individual brilliance, the team's inability to lock down the defensive third rendered his offensive contributions moot.

Chukwueze provided the spark on the right wing, terrorising the Everton backline from the opening whistle. 

The Nigerian international was inches away from a "Goal of the Season" contender in the first half when he unleashed a 30-yard "piledriver" that rattled the crossbar.

Chukwueze’s vision was also on display as he carved out several high-quality opportunities for Raul Jimenez and Emile Smith Rowe. 

However, Fulham’s failure to find a clinical second goal while leading 1–0 left the door ajar, an opening the Toffees ruthlessly exploited in the final fifteen minutes.

With five goals conceded in 180 minutes of football, Marco Silva faces a selection headache ahead of the next fixture. As the Bassey void grows more apparent, the pressure to reinstate the Super Eagles defender is reaching a fever pitch among the Fulham faithful.