🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.