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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, 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 interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.