🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal 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 the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back 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 the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.