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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’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 Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival 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 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass 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 Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.