🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance 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 goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.