Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as Everton overcome Fulham

David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, 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 was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target 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 crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. 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 fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.