Idrissa Gueye and Keane on target as the Toffees sink Fulham

The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective 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. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish 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 one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.