🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.