🔗 Share this article

The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

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 brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton forward 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.