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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned 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 wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. 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 flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.