Gueye and Keane on target as the Toffees sink the Cottagers

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker 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.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.