🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. 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. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

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. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position 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 second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.