🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.