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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect 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 win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, 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 comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal 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 the Spanish side 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 crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune 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 wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker 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 the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly 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 minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.