Gueye and Michael Keane on target as Everton defeat Fulham

David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’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 long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking 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 Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, 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 his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.