🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.