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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 his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance 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 Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in 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 the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.