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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out 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 on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium 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. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.