Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as the Toffees sink Fulham

David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.