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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.