🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’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 Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort 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. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.