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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory 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 short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve 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 big-money move 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 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to 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 directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.