🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival 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 earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.