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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated 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 the home team's superior intensity and quality. 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 second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.