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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one 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 big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.