🔗 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 the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated 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 kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games 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 directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. 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. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.