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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, 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 edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well 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 put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.