🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton 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 Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike 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 backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages 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 upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.