🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly 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 fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.