Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as the Toffees overcome Fulham

The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park 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 two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.