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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.