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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as 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 missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.