Gueye along with Keane on target as Everton sink the Cottagers

David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye 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 needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal 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 on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it 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 the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.