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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham 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 the English defender duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’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 Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.