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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.