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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity 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 wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike 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 on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.