🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.