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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings 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 directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected 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 further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.