Idrissa Gueye and Keane on target as Everton overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club'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 brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium 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. The attacker had cushioned the ball 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 wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian 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.