Ex-Sunderland star Josh Maja bags brace for Fulham against Everton to heap more pressure on under-fire Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce

The deserved 2-0 victory ended a 12-match run without a win.

The 22-year-old former Sunderland man, on loan from Bordeaux, scored two typical poacher’s goals from close range.

It moved the third-bottom Cottagers to within seven points of Newcastle in 17th and offered them some hope of an escape if Maja, whose two goals incredibly moved him to joint-fourth on Fulham’s leading league scorers list this season, can reproduce this form on a more regular basis.

They will not find many opponents as passive as Everton, however, who blew the chance to strike a huge psychological blow for the forthcoming Merseyside derby.

Four points from this match and Manchester City on Wednesday would have put them above their rivals across Stanley Park ahead of Saturday’s short trip to Anfield.

But Everton were toothless without injured top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin and also lacked the necessary competitiveness to make Fulham’s first league win at Goodison Park in 28 attempts anything other than comfortable.

Sunderland will be hoping Maja does well for Fulham this season as they have a 10% sell on clause and would stand to benefit from a big-money deal in the summer.

Under-fire Steve Bruce takes his Newcastle United side to Chelsea on Monday evening in the Premier League.

They are without top scorer Callum Wilson who is facing a couple of months out injured with a hamstring injury.