Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as Everton defeat the Cottagers

David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move 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 over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement 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 Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece 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 the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.