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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than 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 the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player 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, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.