Gueye along with Keane find the net as the Toffees defeat Fulham
David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.
Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike 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 was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.
Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.
The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. 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. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.
The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.
Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.
The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests 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 Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.
