Everton star defies the laws of physics and made an incredible display of 1000iq vs fulham

Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane on target as Everton sink Fulham

The onus is not only on Everton’s goal-shy strikers to turn promising play into points, David Moyes had stated before Fulham’s visit. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well.”

The Everton manager’s wish was duly granted as Idrissa Gana Gueye and Michael Keane delivered a deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches arrived in relative comfort with Fulham demonstrating why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. A 20-minute spell in the second half aside, the visitors were easily subdued by Everton’s greater urgency, physicality and quality. Fulham will be in trouble on this evidence. The hosts had three goals disallowed for offside too but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late effort ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

“We got what we deserved,” admitted Silva. “We only played for 20 minutes. We lost the game in the physical side, we didn’t handle it at all. You can lose a game because the other team is better than you but not because you don’t come up to the physical standard. That is not negotiable.

”Everton striker Thierno Barry drew another blank in front of goal and was again downcast when substituted for Beto, as was the case at Sunderland on Monday. But the 23-year-old departed to a rousing ovation in recognition of a much-improved display. Barry’s movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout. Moyes, his decision to stick with the striker vindicated, said: “The fans were brilliant for Barry today but Barry gave them something too and he deserved to be applauded off. The supporters need a great deal of credit for that because we need both boys to keep their confidence up.”The hosts dominated the early exchanges with Barry heading over from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross and Bernd Leno saving a 30-yard free-kick from James Garner, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic later tripped the same player but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.Michael Keane scores for Everton against Fulham.

Michael Keane makes the points safe with Everton’s second goal. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PABarry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back 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 offside when attacking the cross at the near post and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision.

Fulham came into the contest fleetingly with Sander Berge and former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.Everton, driven on by the excellent Dewsbury-Hall, had a second goal disallowed when Leno parried Keane’s header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated over a lovely cross when found in space by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines at the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye followed in to convert from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionQuick GuidePlay our new game: On the ballShow

The home side had a third goal ruled out when Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery towards Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the provider with a corner that Keane glanced over Leno. The defender did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King and Rodrigo Muniz, although the latter was himself replaced by Adama Traoré after suffering a suspected recurrence of a hamstring injury. Pickford saved well to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied

Traoré with another important stop late on, but Everton’s victory was never seriously in doubt.