🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased 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 on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.