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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.