What five Everton stars did for Thierno Barry speaks volumes in huge breakthrough moment

Everton secured a well-earned three points with a confident win over Fulham — but perhaps the biggest success of the day was the progress made in their ongoing search for a reliable striker.

Thierno Barry didn’t finish the full 90 minutes, but when his number went up, Goodison Park rose to applaud him.

It was a far cry from the disappointment of Sunderland just five days earlier, where his costly miss proved a turning point in defeat. This time, he walked off the pitch a hero.

The 23-year-old forward tormented Fulham’s defenders Joachim Andersen and Calvin Bassey throughout his 79 minutes on the pitch.

Physical, relentless, and clever with his movement, Barry proved himself a real handful — constantly battling for position, chasing lost causes, and linking play with intelligence.

More than just a threat in front of goal, he finally gave Everton the focal point they’ve lacked this season.

The French youth international thought he had scored his first Everton goal in the first half, only for the offside flag to cut short the celebrations.

It was one of three disallowed goals on the day as Everton dominated, long before Michael Keane’s late header sealed the result.

Barry’s performance may not have come with a goal, but it was vital to the win. From a smart chest lay-off to set up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to a dazzling run that left Andersen embarrassed, the young striker was everywhere.

Most importantly, he looked like he belonged — a vital cog in a team finally clicking into gear.

Just days earlier, Barry had cut a lonely figure on the pitch and bench. But on Saturday, his teammates made a point of rallying around him — from Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye to Vitalii Mykolenko and Keane, all embracing him before kickoff.

When he came off, Idrissa Gueye ran to congratulate him, while David Moyes offered quiet words of encouragement — a reward for the trust he’d shown in his striker after the disappointment of Wearside.

For Moyes, this was close to a perfect afternoon. After a string of games that yielded too little from promising performances — defeats to Tottenham and Manchester City, and a frustrating draw at Sunderland — Everton finally turned dominance into points.

Fulham, managed by former Everton boss Marco Silva, rarely looked like spoiling the day. Silva admitted as much post-match:

“We got what we deserved from the game, definitely.”

Everton were dominant from the start, with two first-half goals disallowed — one from Barry and another from James Tarkowski — while Bernd Leno denied James Garner from a free-kick.

Fulham were lucky to keep Sasa Lukic on the pitch after a late challenge on Dewsbury-Hall, who again impressed.

The breakthrough came just before halftime when Idrissa Gueye bundled home from close range, much to the relief of the Goodison crowd.

Dewsbury-Hall later had a goal chalked off, and Fulham’s brief spell of pressure raised the tension, but Moyes’ changes settled things.

Beto’s lively cameo helped earn the corner that led to Keane’s header, sealing a deserved 2–0 win. Moyes had called for goals from across the pitch — and this time, his midfielder and centre-back answered the call.

It was Everton’s third win before an international break this season, and it came at a perfect time.

After weeks of frustration and fan restlessness, Moyes’ men head into the break just three points off the Champions League spots — proof of how tight the Premier League remains and how quickly the mood at Goodison can change.