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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper 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 same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.