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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.