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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 midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled 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 greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy 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 VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.