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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.