🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime 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 midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in 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 in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.