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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues 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 comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal 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 persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.