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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender directed over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.