🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why 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 all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.