🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.