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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring 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 £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance 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 throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender 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 far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.