Gueye and Keane find the net as the Toffees overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for 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 justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham 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 fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.