Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as the Toffees overcome the Cottagers

The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games 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 Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. 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 a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.