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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, 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 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.