**Everton returned to winning ways on home soil against Fulham.**
David Moyes’ side appeared to take the lead twice in the first half from Thierno Barry and James Tarkowski but both strikes were disallowed.
Idrissa Gueye finally broke the deadlock by slamming home after Tarkowski’s header came back off the crossbar and Tim Iroegbunam had been denied.
A second arrived during the closing stages when Michael Keane met Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner with a header that looped into Bernd Leno’s net.
The Blues are up to 11th in the Premier League table and currently sit just three points away from the final European qualification positions.
_Here were the key talking points from Hill Dickinson Stadium:_
Blues finally get their rewards
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A form guide of just one win in their previous eight games made for grim reading but there are signs that some of Everton’s recent results were unjust.
Take the stalemate at Sunderland earlier this week, which felt like a game where David Moyes’ side deserved far more than the solitary point earned.
No one inside Hill Dickinson Stadium could argue that the Blues were not good for maximum points against Fulham after a near-total domination.
Marco Silva conceded that his own side had only been in the contest for the opening 20 minutes in their latest meeting with his erstwhile employers.
Three disallowed goals told its own story, as did the diversity of Everton’s goal scorers with none of them stemming from the much-maligned forward line.
Moyes made only incremental tweaks; deploying James Garner at right-back to great effect while Tim Iroegbunam similarly stepped up in the engine room.
It may only be one game but the Scot’s charges are finally reaping rewards.
Moyes must keep faith with Barry
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The Everton manager did raise eyebrows with at least one of his selections.
Thierno Barry found himself retained as lead striker despite a frustrating outing on Wearside where he spurned a gilt-edged chance to wrap up victory.
The young forward cut a highly despondent figure upon leaving the pitch at the Stadium of Light five days ago as he was duly replaced by Beto.
Then as now, Barry found himself making way for the Guinea-Bissau forward, only this time the response from Everton fans was one of true appreciation.
Goals continued to elude him with the only effort rippling the net being among the overruled trio, but the 21-year-old offered far more against the Cottagers.
He was sharp, clever in possession and able to positively impact things in the final third; something which he has often been accused of lacking in games.
Barry resembled a player whose confidence is slowly resurfacing rather than the shadow not helped by Moyes’ perennial changing of his frontman options.
Now he must be allowed to explore how far it can take him.
Is it time for a European dream?
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The days of Everton being in the conversation for European qualification have become dim and distant after seasons of unrelenting relegation battle churn.
Silva himself was the last man to seriously put the club in the reckoning for a continental return at the tail end of a campaign, and even he fell just short.
But this late into it, the Premier League season is proving to be at its most open for the best part of a decade with the table’s margins incredibly tight.
On the face of it, Everton creeping up to 11th place is far from high-flying territory yet they are now closer to the upper echelons than the basement.
Three points are all that stands between themselves and a surge up the table towards the Europa League spot while second place is only five points away.
Granted, the picture may look a little different by the international break with Manchester City potentially widening the latter chasm to seven on Sunday.
The hunt for a Europa place, however, is likely to remain more open-ended for a good few weeks still and offers Moyes’ side an increased incentive.
As the tenth anniversary of Leicester City’s improbable title triumph looms, Evertonians will be hoping they can dust off their passports once more.