🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder 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 more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.