🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side 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 laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.