🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry 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 goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought 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 erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after 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 initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.