🔗 Share this article

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 insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than 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 spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick 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 another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.