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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.