Gueye along with Keane on target as the Toffees overcome Fulham

David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as 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 clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.